SSTI Digest

As U.S. research institutions face funding uncertainty, countries and universities worldwide are launching initiatives to lure away our scientific talent: Twelve EU countries signed a letter calling for dedicated funding and an immigration framework in the next EU budget. Individual countries are taking separate actions. Belgium’s Vrije Universiteit Brussel has allocated €2.5 million ($2.7 million) for 12 postdoctoral fellowships specifically targeting American researchers through its European Marie Skłodowska-Curie program.

NOTE: The nation's community of technology-based economic development organizations is in its annual report season, and we've already seen several releases from SSTI members. All document TBED's impact on advancing research, moving it to market, and helping businesses improve their profitability and competitiveness. To help the TBED community prepare their own annual reports, SSTI is speaking with a few of our members to learn more about their evolving approaches to preparing their annual reports. This week, we share insights from our conversation based on an interview with Kate Calabra, interim CEO of the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition. The first three parts of this four-part series are available here, here and here. In recent years, the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition’s (ISTC) annual report was a landing page on the organization’s website. It was primarily text summarizing what the organization had done. However, the most recent report, a PDF document that spans 25 pages (minus front and back covers), is much different. That difference was "definitely intentional," said Kate Calabra, interim CEO of the Illinois…

In a country marked by regional diversity, gaining insights into economic performance often means looking beyond conventional state and county boundaries to economic hubs. This edition of Useful Stats uses Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data to first compare U.S. metropolitan and micropolitan GDPs broken down by industry for the last 20+ years, then consider each Metropolitan Statistical Area’s GDP by private industry, highlighting patterns and changes over the past decades.   Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), “have at least one urban area of 50,000 or more population plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the core urban area as measured by commuting ties.” Approximately 86% of the nation's population resides within the 392 MSAs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.[1] In addition to MSAs are micropolitan statistical areas (μSAs), defined by OMB as having “at least one urban area of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 population, plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured by…

In the last twenty years, there has been a critical shift in the technology transfer landscape that calls for a fundamental overhaul of university Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) from focusing on passive IP management to active startup development, according to a recent SSRN article. In "Transforming TTOs: Filling the Existing Technology Commercialization Void," Timothy L. Faley argues that the traditional "patent and license" model, wherein TTOs facilitated the licensing of university-developed intellectual property (IP) to established corporations, has become increasingly obsolete. He identifies a "product-development void," a consequence of corporations pivoting towards acquiring market-validated startups rather than licensing raw IP. Faley argues for TTOs to adopt a "business building" model, actively nurturing startups from their inception, providing mentorship, and facilitating access to early-stage funding. He emphasizes that this transition requires a departure from traditional TTO metrics, such as licensing revenue and patent numbers, which he deems inadequate for assessing the success of a startup-driven ecosystem. Faley highlights the evolution of…

White House The Senate has confirmed Michael Kratsios to serve as director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.  Ethan Klein of New Jersey has been nominated as associate director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.Department of Commerce Paul Dabbar of New York has been nominated as deputy secretary of commerce. Harry Kumar of New York has been nominated as assistant secretary of commerce. John Squires of Florida has been nominated as under secretary of commerce for intellectual property and director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.Department of Defense Michael Dodd of Indiana has been nominated as an assistant secretary of defense for critical technologies. Katie Sutton has been nominated as an assistant secretary for cyber policy.  Laurie Buckhout has been selected to serve as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy.Department of Health and Human Services The Senate confirmed Jay Bhattacharya to serve as director of the National Institutes of Health.  Marty Makary has been confirmed to serve as…

A recent Executive Order from the White House could jeopardize the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund and put at risk investments in small businesses. The EO calls for the “non-statutory components and functions” of several governmental entities, among them are the CDFI and the Minority Business Development Agency, “to be eliminated ... and such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law.” The EO requires the listed entities to submit a report to the Office of Management and Budget within one week, March 21, explaining “which components or functions of the governmental entity, if any, are statutorily required and to what extent.”  The Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) pushed back on the notion that CDFI Fund programs engage in non-statutory components in a press release that stated, “all CDFI Fund programs are undertaken pursuant to statutory authorities and thus are not subject to the Executive Order.”  The CDFI Fund is a critical component of many regional economic development programs. For example, Launch NY, the only U.S.…

California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently released the state’s new  Jobs First Economic Blueprint, a comprehensive plan and major statewide economic initiative designed to spur sustainable economic growth on a region-by-region basis, to reflect the diverse character of the many parts and peoples of California.  Made up of 10 strategic industry sectors, including clean energy, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture and agtech, technology, and innovation, the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint will guide the state’s investments into the policies and programs that seek to create more jobs, faster and to ensure that the investments are sustainable and inclusive (including the regions’ rural, disadvantaged, or underserved communities). As such, the plan provides for: $125 million in funding to support new, ready-to-go projects that advance the regions’ strategic sectors (which includes manufacturing, construction, agriculture, tourism/recreation, the creative economy and tech), $92 million in total funding for new apprenticeship and jobs programs, of which $52 million is allocated towards new apprenticeships with a focus on high-demand sectors…

In this final coverage of gubernatorial addresses as they discuss the innovation economy, the following highlights have been selected from State of the States or budget addresses given between Feb. 18 and March 14, 2025, by the governors from Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, and Ohio.  Information on previous 2025 State of the States and/or budget addresses can be found here, here, here, and here. With revenues for many states relatively consistent with forecasters’ expectations, lawmakers, with a few exceptions, continue to maintain cautious or constrained views of their funding priorities and proposed initiatives. As a result, many governors in SSTI’s analysis of addresses delivered this season speak more to previously implemented programs and their continued successes rather than rolling out many new programs. However, new priorities for growing stronger innovation economies have not been completely overlooked.  On March 4, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gave his State of the State address. Prior to his address, the administration rolled out a number of legislative priorities and budget proposals for fiscal year (FY) 2025-2026, including a tax…

Many metropolitan areas grapple with demographic shifts, labor shortages, and changing economic conditions, so understanding the factors that encourage former residents to return may help policymakers design more effective strategies for talent retention and regional revitalization. The Cleveland Fed's recent District Data Brief titled "Boomerang Migration: Which Regions Have the Most, and Can It Make a Difference?" examines the movement of individuals who return to their home regions after relocating elsewhere.  A better understanding of this “boomerang migration” may have implications for regional economic development, workforce stability, and population growth. By analyzing migration patterns and the characteristics of areas with higher return rates, this research provides valuable insights that can inform economic policies, workforce development initiatives, and housing strategies. The study offers a data-driven perspective on how local governments and economic development organizations might leverage…

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is one of the federal government's most substantial investments for moving innovation from America’s small businesses into the private market or federal procurement in areas like defense, space, energy or transportation. States have launched a variety of funding programs, technical assistance efforts, and outreach initiatives to help ensure more of their own innovation-driven small firms can capture and succeed with SBIR. These programs act as a catalyst for innovation, accelerating the commercialization of new technologies and ultimately fueling local economic growth.  SSTI has updated our State SBIR/STTR Resource Guide to reflect new Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program awardees and recent changes to state-level initiatives. The guide includes a series of maps showing the types of support for SBIR/STTR companies by state. It also provides a downloadable Excel file of all…

A two-page proposal for a $40,000 Phase IA award? Phase II performance ratios required for companies receiving 10 and 25 Phase I awards over their lifetime? Halving the budget for STTR and shrinking university partner share? Creating a 0.25% carve-out of DOD SBIR funds for phase III awards up to $30M each? Limiting all federal technical assistance and outreach to 25 states with the fewest SBIR/STTR awards? Stronger, broader, tougher foreign risk requirements for the companies and agency due diligence?  Webinar: Starting down the path for SBIR reauthorization SSTI will hold a webinar to walk through the INNOVATE ACT as introduced on Monday, March 24 at 3:00pm (eastern). Interested technology-based economic development organizations may register here to attend or receive SSTI’s summary slide deck of the bill after the event. The “Investing in National Next-Generation Opportunities for Venture Acceleration and Technological Excellence” INNOVATE Act includes these proposals and a lot more as it was introduced on March 5, 2025, by Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), the chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.  To…

By automating routine tasks, improving data analysis, and enhancing marketing efforts, AI can revolutionize how small firms conduct business—and that should impact the type of assistance technology-based economic developers offer their innovation-driven entrepreneurs. Understanding how small business owners perceive and utilize AI is crucial for developing strategies that support their growth and competitiveness.  One possible tool for aiding a reassessment of entrepreneurial support services might be a recent report by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), AI in Business: How Small Business Owners Are Learning, Using, and Navigating Challenges with AI Tools. It delves into how small business owners are learning, using, and navigating the challenges associated with AI tools.  Over the past two years, AI tools have become more accessible, allowing small businesses to streamline operations and boost productivity. However, adopting AI is not without risks, particularly seen in concerns about information privacy.  The ICIC report reveals that AI use is widespread among small businesses, with about 89% of business owners indicating…