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Report Could Have Implications for Connecticut Job Growth, Education

November 22, 2004

Gov. Jodi Rell recently announced the results of a study of the strengths and weaknesses of Connecticut’s infrastructure for innovation, technology transfer and development of new businesses. A report prepared for the Connecticut Technology Transfer and Commercialization Advisory Board of the governor's Competitiveness Council presents the results.

The report examines successful university-based technology transfer and commercialization initiatives in the U.S. and at the University of Cambridge in England. It notes five factors that could help states position their universities as centers of innovation and business growth: strong academic leadership and research capabilities, availability of early-stage capital, commitment to and support of entrepreneurship programs, and the existence of infrastructure such as innovation centers, incubators and research parks.

While Connecticut is home to renowned universities such as Yale University and the University of Connecticut and ranks high in patents generated, the report finds, the state has a relative lack of early-stage capital and incubation space and comparatively weak infrastructure, entrepreneurial activity and corporate involvement with universities.

Several steps are recommended for improving technology transfer and research efforts in Connecticut's major universities, increasing the level of start-ups and entrepreneurship in the state, and building the innovation infrastructure, including:

  • Aggressive courting of federal funds to support targeted initiatives;
  • Development of an innovation ventures center;
  • Increase angel and seed capital;
  • Increase corporate role in universities;
  • Further develop technology transfer and entrepreneurial activities at Yale and UConn; and,
  • Encourage collaborative research and development between Yale, UConn and regional universities.

In response to the report, Gov. Rell has directed the advisory board to develop an action plan by Dec. 15 that will include legislative proposals to be considered in the upcoming legislative session. The governor’s Competitiveness Council, which oversees all cluster-based economic development efforts in Connecticut, created the advisory board in November 2003 to examine and evaluate technology transfer and commercialization processes.

The report is available at: http://www.youbelonginct.com/pupload/techtransreportweb.pdf

Connecticut