SSTI Looks to the Road Ahead

Crafting a regional TBED strategy is a difficult proposition. First, you figure out where you are. You check the data, conduct surveys and talk to the right people. Then, you figure out where you need to go. You look at other regions, and, again, talk to the right people. Using that information, you try to chart a course from where you are to where you want to be. The path, however, is rarely a straight line. Economic development is a messy business, and regional economies are subject to an unlimited number of factors: global economic trends, state and federal politics, the cultural cache of cities, the work of local researchers, and so on.

TBED has never been more vital to state and regional growth, but there are no easy answers. We are still in the midst of a global economic crisis that has shaken regional economies and state budgets. And there is the potential of more than 30 new governors, each with their own economic agenda.

SSTI can help. Accelerating Innovation: The Road Ahead for Tech-based Economic Development, SSTI's 14th Annual Conference, will focus on getting TBED professionals the answers they need to create effective strategies and to handle the speed bumps they encounter along the way. For three days this September, economic development and high-tech leaders from across the country will come together to learn, share and connect against the backdrop of historic downtown Pittsburgh.

The conference offers sessions, speakers, workshops and networking activities tailored to the needs of the innovation community. This year's presenters include federal officials, governors, heads of economic development agencies and regional TBED organizations, and SSTI staff. Our breakout and plenary sessions will keep you informed about federal initiatives and what's happening around the country, and offer the information you need to foster growth in your community.

SSTI's community of TBED professionals is unique. Our conference brings together leaders from state economic development agencies, nonprofit TBED organizations, regional and local groups, incubators, universities and the federal government. No other event attracts the full range of professionals dedicated to high-tech growth. The conference provides plenty of opportunity for networking and sharing your experiences.

This is a conference of opportunity, of exciting new thinking, of stimulating possibilities. And it is a conference like no other for the nation's organizations and individuals committed to accelerating regional innovation.

See you September 14-16 in Pittsburgh!

Learn more and register for the conference at: www.ssticonference.org.