Carolina Chickadee
(Credit: Mr. Jamsey)
It's spring in the northern hemisphere, which means Earth Day and bird migration. What does this have to do with regional innovation? Bear with me.
One of the fascinating aspects of the annual avian spring migration is the role that chickadees seemingly serve, both Black-Capped and Carolina in the eastern half of the US, helping birds of other species, likely tired, find easy food for refueling. Whether one is out in the woods, parks, or backyards, hearing a chickadee this time of year excitedly repeating their namesake songs, it's worth a look to see who else might be tagging along.
You might still be asking what that has to do with encouraging regional innovation? Everything.
The people in technology-based economic development organizations across the country are dedicated to helping new technologies, founders, and innovation-driven companies make it to the commercial market or public use. They serve chickadee-like roles at critical times in the lives of those companies and technologies.
Chickadees seem to have lots of fun, and TBED professionals do too. But in a local economy, some involved in regional innovation efforts may feel like they serve an under-recognized role when public policy attention is more often focused on the "other" realms of development policy: workforce, community and ribbon-cutting, incentive-laden, conventional economic development. We need all of those, but innovation is what drives the national economy, brings higher wages to all of our communities, and is required for virtually all regions of the U.S. to stay ahead of the curve regarding global competitiveness.
Any potential loneliness of innovation-driven, technology-based economic development can be overcome by finding and joining the community of similarly focused initiatives—again, like the service chickadees provide to migrating songbirds. For regional innovation practitioners, it resides within SSTI's community of Digest subscribers, Technology-based Economic Development Community of Practice participants, SSTI's dues-paying members, and supporters of the Innovation Advocacy Council. Consider joining all four points of professional engagement to refuel your own mental nourishment.
Chickadees are considered the welcome wagon of spring birding migration. Similarly, SSTI might be said to serve as the welcome wagon for improving effective regional innovation support. Check out everything we've ever written on the topic of TBED and consider becoming part of our flock at SSTI.org.
(To learn more about chickadees, check out All About Birds, maintained by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology)