Tech-based ED RoundUp

Colorado

On Monday, Colorado Secretary of Technology Marc Holtzman announced a new $11 million partnership between the Public Employees’ Retirement Association of Colorado and ITU Ventures, LLC. The partnership was formed to invest in technology emerging from Colorado's research institutions. ITU will assist the commercial growth of technological innovation by working with researchers, administration and university tech transfer offices. More information is available at: http://www.oit.state.co.us/about/press_1.asp?prid=16

Iowa

Iowa boasts a new corporate group to promote and encourage tech-based economic development, according to the Associated Press. The AP reports the Iowa Coalition for Innovation and Growth is comprised of the top executives from the state's largest corporations and evolved out of the Iowa Business Council's review of the state's performance on several metrics. The Coalition will receive administrative support from the Iowa Chamber Alliance, an association of the state's 15 largest chambers of commerce.



Maryland

The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, the University of Maryland School of Law, and the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development have joined forces to create the Maryland Intellectual Property Legal Resource Center. The Center, located at the Maryland Technology Development Center in Rockville, will provide low-cost intellectual property services and other legal assistance to startup technology companies as well as explore emerging ethical, legal, and policy issues in high technology and intellectual property. In the future, the Center will have three components: an academic program aimed at law students, researchers, and entrepreneurs; a clinical component where law students will assist individuals and companies and facilitate contact with legal service providers; and a public policy component to provide a forum for the discussion of ethical and public policy issues, such as privacy of genetic information, gene patenting and licensing, and the use of human tissue for research and human subject research. More information is available at: http://www.choosemaryland.org/pressroom/press_releases.asp

North Dakota

The University of North Dakota awarded its first entrepreneurship degree during winter commencement exercises in December. The program, which includes a full school year of hands-on learning experience in addition to classes in the business school, began three years ago with support from the Kauffman Foundation. The Grand Forks City Council has promised $45,000 over the next three years to support related internships. Currently, 55 people in the track and 12 students majoring in entrepreneurship are at UND. More information is available at: http://www.und.nodak.edu/org/ds/_issues/2002/01/29/news/entre.html

Rhode Island

Toward a goal of increasing the number of IT workers available in the state for its high-tech businesses, the Rhode Island Technology Council is expanding its Academies of Information Technology education program to include three more high schools around the state. The first four-year training academy was launched last fall at the Newport Area Career and Technical Center with the enrollment of 10 ninth-graders. In addition to computer programming and web design courses, students are placed in internships with tech firms for work experience. More information is available at: http://www.ritec.org

South Carolina

At least one tech-based ED group in the country has decided to cash in on the plethora of specialty license plates most states are issuing now as fund raisers for select causes. To raise awareness of the importance of science and technology and to help fund a new network of 15 regional technology councils around the state, the South Carolina Technology Alliance (SCTA) is encouraging Palmetto State drivers to purchase Technology Auto Tags for their cars. The plates, which feature a computer mouse pointer clicking on the state's logo and the SCTA web address, will sell for a one-time cost of $100. Seventy percent of the fee will go to create the state technology council network. More information is available at: http://www.sctech.org/News.asp

Virginia

Despite its record of providing tech training for 9,000 adults and 2,600 middle school students in less than five years and accolades from region's tech businesses about the quality of the graduates and the uniqueness of the program, the Northern Virginia Regional Partnership is slated to receive little or no funding by the state legislature, according to the Feb. 25 Washington Post. More information on the partnership's activities, which include a career center and Sallie Mae loan program, is available at: http://www.nvrp.org/