SSTI Digest

Several U.S. states have introduced plans in attempts to take the early lead in the country's emerging biofuels industry. For example, in 2006, the Washington legislature approved the initial components of the state's Bioenergy Program. Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen also has proposed a $73 million investment in biofuels research over the next five years though a new Biofuels Initiative at the University of Tennessee, and the Oklahoma legislature is mulling a $40 million Bioenergy Center to coordinate state research.

 

North Carolina is the latest state to enter the fray with an ambitious plan to fund biofuel research and infrastructure. Last week, the Environmental Review Commission of the state's General Assembly met to discuss "Fueling North Carolina's Future: North Carolina's Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership," a nine-point plan to boost the biofuels industry. The plan, commissioned by the state legislature in August 2006, was developed after leaders observed that the 5.6 billion gallons of petroleum-based liquid fuels sold in North Carolina each year were not contributing in any meaningful way to the state's economy.



By switching to locally grown and processed sources of fuel, the plan states, the state can leverage its consumption into economic growth. North Carolina should focus its biofuels research and industry support on cellulose-based fuel technologies, rather than corn and grain-based initiatives more common in the Midwest, it adds. Though the state's climate and soil conditions make for unfavorable growing conditions for corn-based ethanol, the plan's authors believe that with sufficient support North Carolina could become the "ethanol capital of the East Coast."

 

A new biofuels commission would oversee the state's progress in achieving the goals of the plan. Its chief goal is to ensure that, by 2017, 10 percent of all liquid fuels sold in North Carolina come from in-state agricultural sources and production facilities. The strategy requests $500,000 annually for the commission and another $500,000 to educate leaders and the public about the biofuels industry.

 

Action points from the plan include:

Southern Growth Policies Board is polling citizens on their attitudes and ideas about building a competitive Southern Workforce. Visit http://www.southern.org/surveyintro.shtml and share your ideas on how to build a competitive, entrepreneurial workforce to support the southern region's economic development initiatives in high-growth industries. The 16-question survey only takes a few minutes to complete and your feedback will be included in Southern Growth's 2007 Report on the Future of the South and in presentations at the Southern Workforce Summit conference on June 3-5, 2007. To learn more about the Southern Workforce Summit conference, visit http://www.southern.org/conf.asp.

Complete descriptions of the position openings described below are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.



The Allegheny Conference on Community Development, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing private sector leadership to grow the economy and improve the quality of life in the 10-county Pittsburgh region, is seeking a senior vice president for its Workforce Quality Program. This position represents an opportunity to work at the highest levels of corporate, government and community leadership to ensure the Pittsburgh region develops a skilled workforce of sufficient size and quality to satisfy the needs of businesses. A postgraduate degree and 10-plus years of relevant experience are required.



The Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD) is recruiting highly qualified individuals to fill the position of economist with its Innovation and Economic Strategies Division. The mission of OECDD is to prepare communities and support business to advance Oregon’s economy. A few responsibilities include interpreting economic data and recommending strategies to top agency management, the Governor’s Office, legislators and their staff, and business leaders in the state. Applicants must have a master’s degree in economics or a related field and four years of experience doing economic research or econometric forecasting; or a Ph.D. in economics or a related field and one-year of experience doing economic research.



RTI International, an organization that conducts innovative, multidisciplinary research to improve the human condition, is looking for someone to serve as a senior research economic development specialist. This position will lead the growth of RTI's consulting and research services in strategies for technology-based economic development, industry cluster studies, and best practices in technology transfer and commercialization. An advanced degree, preferably a Ph.D., in science, engineering, public policy, economic development, or planning and public administration is required.

The venture capital fund investing in biotechnology companies that locate to the North Carolina Research Campus is doubling its holdings to $200 million. This substantial increase is a result of a donation provided by David Murdock, the billionaire businessman and owner of Castle and Cooke Inc. who also provided the initial $100 million to start the fund. The venture capital fund is an integral component of the $1.5 billion biotechnology hub being constructed in Kannapolis, N.C. 

 

Located between Charlotte and the Research Triangle, Kannapolis is a city of 39,000 residents that was heavily impacted by the bankruptcy of the Pillowtex textile corporation in 2003. The subsequent closing of the local manufacturing facility laid off 4,300 employees in Kannapolis, alone, part of the largest permanent layoff in the history of North Carolina.

 

Construction of a main component of the research campus has already begun on the site of the demolished textile factory complex. The building to house much of the campus core laboratory and equipment space is expected to be completed in 2007, and tenants for the building have already been announced. Attracting a critical mass of companies is a goal to attain long-term viability for the campus.

 

The venture capital fund anticipates spending $12 million to $15 million a year, geared towards early-stage companies close to starting clinical trials. According to Clyde Higgs, who oversees the fund for the campus, about $3 million to $5 million will be available per company for several businesses each year. Any future returns from these investments would be retained by Castle and Cook Inc. In addition to biotech companies, institutional partners such as Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University are collaborating with the biotech campus. The project aims to attract 100 companies of different sizes and stages of development to the 350-acre development.

 

The main website of the North Carolina Research Campus is http://www.ncresearchcampus.net/

Dr. Raymond Taylor has joined the Southern Growth Policies Board leadership team as senior fellow and director of the organization's Council on the New Economy Workforce.

North Carolina could boost its economy by further leveraging the science of atoms and molecules, a new report finds. In A Roadmap for Nanotechnology in North Carolinas 21st Century, released earlier this month, a state task force comprised of academic and business leaders offers a number of ways North Carolina can use nanotech to provide secure more high-paying jobs for its economy. Of the group's 22 recommendations, 12 focus on enhancing the states overall technology economy, while 10 focus specifically on improving and developing North Carolinas nanotechnology community.



One of North Carolina's greatest strengths for promoting nanotech is in its universities, the report points out. Between 1999 and 2004, the number of nanotechnology-related sponsored program awards to North Carolina universities increased five-fold. At least nine universities received funding awards from more than 10 federal agencies and nearly 40 private companies and foundations during the period. The task force recommends that universities align themselves with the needs of regional economic clusters, completing resource analyses and developing strategies to address those needs.



To enhance North Carolina's overall technology economy, the task force also recommends establishing a North Carolina Technology Investment Fund.



"A fund should be established to serve as a flexible source of matching funds to attract new federal R&D centers to the state, leverage private funds, and help communities link industry needs with higher education centers and other service providers through business networks and other services," the authors say. "The fund would also be used to provide funding for state agencies and organizations to meet new needs of industry and to establish education and research consortia with industry clusters throughout the state."



Fulfilling one recommendation that North Carolina create an information clearinghouse about nanotechnology the state Commerce Departments Office of Science and Technology has launched a nanotech website. The site, www.ncnanotechnology.com, provides information that is applicable to both a broad audience and users or investors in North Carolina.



Other recommendations include:

As part of plans to build a biotechnology campus in Kannapolis, N.C., Clyde Higgs has been hired to oversee a $100 million venture capital fund that will serve to attract biotech companies and other corporate tenants.

Last week, North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley signed the budget agreement passed by the state's General Assembly for fiscal years 2006-07. The budget contains many adjustments favoring K-12 and higher education and several allocations for technology-based growth initiatives.



Education received the most attention in the General Assembly's negotiations. The largest new allocation in the budget is $664.1 million for a 5.5 percent raise among most state workers. Public school teachers will receive an average 8 percent raise, while community college and university faculty will get 6 percent with a one-time 2 percent bonus for community college faculty and staff. The higher ed pay raises, along with $79 million for new professors and staff, are intended to attract high-quality faculty and meet projected enrollment increases at North Carolina universities.



The new budget also invests in research initiatives at state universities. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill medical school will use $2.5 million to expand its translational medicine program, which connects basic research with applied pharmaceutical development. Biotechnology programs at North Carolina Central University and North Carolina State University will receive $4.5 million, and the NC Biotechnology Center and its regional offices are getting a $2.5 million budget increase. The new North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis will have $6.7 million through UNC and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Training Center and Greenhouse to fund its first year of operations, and Fayetteville State University will be able to begin capital planning on a new science and technology complex with a $1 million allocation. The budget also provides $20 million for a new competitive grant program for state universities that can be used to attract faculty, purchase equipment and undertake allied health projects.



Economic development programs received some increased financial support. The One NC Fund, started in 1993 to assist companies with the costs of new equipment or repairs, has been expanded through an additional $15 million for the state. That fund's associated Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program has been given $5 million to reimburse entrepreneurs for the costs of preparing SBIR proposals and to match federal awards. The Job Development Investment Grant Program, which provides grants to new and expanding businesses, received funding to continue operations throughout FY 2006-07.



The North Carolina Budget is available at: http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2005/Bills/Senate/PDF/S1741v8.pdf

Lew Ebert announced he is leaving the Kansas Chamber of Commerce to become president and CEO of North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry.

The Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) named Dr. Steven Hillenius to replace Dr. Ralph Cavin as vice president. Cavin is retiring from the SRC leadership team at the end of the year

The advances being made in nanotechnology-based research are likely to impact most industry sectors eventually as more commercial applications are identified. As a result, the National Nanotechnology Initiative has been a research priority for the federal government for many years. Nanotech research is occurring around the world, but, at this point, the majority of effort is concentrated in several leading universities and private companies. A new report by the Southern Growth Policies Board (Southern) reveals the South, while performing about 20 percent of all nanotechnology research activity in the U.S., would benefit greatly through a formalized regional nanotechnology network.

Probably everyone involved in tech-based economic development (TBED) can name at least one research building, innovation center or tech park named after a significant contributor to the project. And has become commonplace individual components of the structure have been named for individual donors: a wing, the auditorium, the foyer, the artwork, the chairs in the board room. The difference between naming rights, endorsements and sponsorships of business marketing, particularly evident in sports, and "patron recognition" in the arts, education and now, TBED, is increasingly blurred.