A new strategy report from the Washington Economic Development Commission offers a roadmap for the state to differentiate itself and attract new investment by focusing on the long-term goal of becoming a world-class innovation system. The proposals, which are not dependent on new funding, call on state and local leaders to focus on five key drivers of competitiveness: talent, entrepreneurship, infrastructure, smart regulation and global exports. Download the report...

Invention is a driver of economic growth. That is the assertion of Brookings latest report on U.S. patenting and its effect on the country's economic prosperity entitled Patenting Prosperity: Invention and Economic Performance in the United States and its Metropolitan Areas. The U.S.'s innovative capacity and activity has increased steadily, but other nations are catching up and the U.S. must identify the implications of this fact to remain competitive.

A technically skilled workforce is one the key elements found in thriving, tech-based economies, and nurturing a pipeline of individuals that match employers' high-tech needs has become a priority for several states focused on competitiveness. Lawmakers in Utah recently threw their support behind an ambitious statewide educational attainment goal and dedicated new funds for targeted investments in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Several reports, assessments, and plans have been released related to energy development — particularly clean energy. On March 15, both President Obama's Blueprint for a Clean and Secure Energy Future and the Government Accountability Office's review of the Department of Energy's loan programs were released. In addition, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation published their report on recent trends in federal investment in clean energy, specifically from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

After a lengthy legal process, the state Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA) — an incentive fund for science and technology businesses — violated a state constitutional requirement that bills address only a single subject. According to a Kansas City Star article, the judges upheld a ruling by a Cole County, MO, judge that lawmakers illegally included a clause making the fund contingent upon passage of a separate proposal overhauling the state's tax credit programs.

The Obama administration announced the $40 million "Make it in America" Challenge to accelerate the growing trend of reshoring, attract more foreign direct investments (FDI) and create well-paying domestic jobs. The multiagency competition will award up to 15 grants to regions from across the country to develop and implement regional economic development strategies that encourage reshoring, foster increased FDI, incentivize companies to expand U.S. operations and establish industry-focused training programs. U.S.

Two important and timely topics for regional innovation strategies will be the topics explored through a series of hour-long webinars SSTI will be offering in April: 1) improving the partnership between regional innovation programs and the nation's foundation community; and 2) the role the private/nonprofit accelerator model plays in tech-based economic development. Participation in these and selected other SSTI webinars to be announced in the coming weeks will be free thanks to generous funding from the U.S.

Last week, the SSTI Weekly Digest offered an overview of the many TBED-focused tax incentives currently under consideration in a number of state legislatures. Tax credits for research and development and for angel capital investment, in particular, appear to be under consideration in many parts of the country. At the same time, there appears to be a renewed emphasis on transparency in the operation and effectiveness of these kinds of tax credits.

Recent national strategies for innovation investment have been publicized by the governing parties in Brazil and Australia, highlighting both a growing global focus on national innovation as well as a growing global divide over how public investments are paid for.

SBA and the Department of Commerce launched Startup University in response to a series of roundtables with accelerators and universities that highlighted the need for a forum to share best practices and build connections between universities and startups. Users can post and comment on specific programs or general ideas that foster these positive relationships. Many programs listed in the forum will be presented at this week's NCET2 Conference. Explore the online forum here...

Rebecca Blank, the acting U.S. secretary of Commerce, is expected to be the next chancellor of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The Board of Regents is scheduled to vote on the recommendation April 5.

From the earliest days of technology-based economic development in the 1980s, and through its formitive years in the 1990s, women leaders have played an integral role in the development of the field. As Women's History Month draws to a close, this week's special issue of the Digest pays tribute to those women and takes a closer look at the opportunities and challenges that face women in TBED today.

Last week the Obama administration launched a new Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative housed within the Department of Energy. The initiative will use public-private partnerships to drive an open-source, "smart" manufacturing network that will help U.S. clean energy manufacturing firms reduce costs, increase competitiveness, and boost productivity.

With a continued push toward regionalism to better support the state's high-tech platform, lawmakers approved in the FY14 budget startup funding for a new statewide incubator program that provides grants for the incubators and tax incentives for client companies. The initiative is part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's planned expansion for the state's 10 regional councils.

Let's face it, chances are your achievements, as wonderful as they are, likely will go unrecognized unless you start telling people about the good work you are doing. SSTI wants to hear how your organization is succeeding in growing tech-based economies and we'll share your outstanding work with the entire country. Learn more about how to submit an application for the 2013 Excellence in TBED awards today.

Gov. Inslee of Washington released his budget request for the 2013-2015 biennium in his Working Washington plan. Among the priorities are STEM educational investments and clean energy research and development. Overall, the Governor's proposed budget totals more than $34.4 billion, and would result in nearly $532 million in reserves, without proposing new taxes.

This week, President Obama unveiled a new, long-term initiative to further understanding of the human brain. The Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, the latest in a series of federal Grand Challenges, would attempt to reproduce the scientific and economic gains of the Human Genome Project. In FY14, the administration plans to invest $100 million in the initiative, with key operations within the Defense Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

Ahead of the president' FY 2014 budget proposal release date (April 10, 2013) and amid federal sequestration, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released two reports that contend duplication, fragmentation and a lack of cooperation between federal agencies may plague federal support for wind energy deployment and entrepreneurial assistance. To address these issues, the GAO reports recommend enhanced collaboration between agencies and consolidation of funding programs.

Mark Lytle has been named the University System of Georgia's new vice chancellor for economic development.

Frederick Cartwright has been appointed the executive director of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research.

Each year, SSTI provides Digest readers with a comprehensive review of technology-based economic development spending in the the president's federal budget request. The year's edition includes proposed FY14 spending on R&D, STEM education, manufacturing, broadband, small business support, technology transfer, entrepreneurship, innovation workforce initiatives and more.

The full report is available for download in pdf format (626 kb).

To encourage communities to strengthen their industrial ecosystems, the U.S. Department of Commerce has announced it will make awards to up to 25 communities to launch implementation strategies. The solicitation for the awards will be released in May, and awards of up to $200,000 each will be issued by the end of September. The awards are one part of a four–phase plan announced by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank last week that also includes listening sessions and a proposal to award five to six communities $25 million each.

Maryland often has been at the forefront of innovation with a longstanding reputation for investing in science and technology to capture new opportunities for economic growth. This year's legislative session was no different. Lawmakers backed Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposals to support the state's bioscience sector, expand the R&D tax credit, enhance workforce training, and promote measures to establish the state as a leader in cybersecurity.

U.S. innovation policy, which in the latter half of the twentieth century became focused on massive federal investment in basic research, is no longer tenable, according to a new report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). In the post-World War II era, the federal government funded a wide variety of costly basic research projects at U.S. universities and federal laboratories without a guiding economic strategy for these investments.

SSTI is excited to launch a new service to permit our members to better connect with each other. The new Member Listserv is already proving to be a valuable resource to better facilitate the exchange of ideas and expertise among SSTI members. You can join the discussion right now by becoming an SSTI Member. Contact Noelle Sheets sheets@ssti.org or visit http://www.ssti.org/benefits.htm to join today.

Two universities, the University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM) and the University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), are expanding or restructuring their economic development operations to improve commercialization of technology stemming from faculty research and the coordination and business development in their communities.