SSTI Digest

To build 21st century workforces in key S&T sectors, several new public-private initiatives have been launched in South Carolina, New Jersey, Utah, and Montana. These initiatives are intended to better align the educational training of students with the needs of industries that each respective state has identified as a key industry cluster. Target industries include advanced manufacturing, aerospace, biotechnology, chemistry and plastics, and cyber security. South Carolina Earlier this month, in partnership with the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance, the state announced the launch of the South Carolina Future Makers (SC Future Makers) workforce initiative. The initiative’s mission is to increase the skilled workforce pipeline entering advanced manufacturing and technical-related careers. Via a web-based portal, individuals can search for careers in the state’s 10 key industry clusters. The portal also provides information on apprenticeships, technical colleges, and four-year colleges to expose and connect South Carolina’s next generation to all of the state’s educational and career-development opportunities. In partnership…

In the last month, major new developments have occurred in TBED capital programs. Launch Tennessee and Pittsburgh-based Innovation Works both announced positive findings about the growth of their startup investment ecosystems with $1 billion being raised by Tennessee startups from 2012 to early 2016 and over $279 million invested in Pittsburgh startups in 2015. Meanwhile in Ohio, both Youngstown-based and Cincy-based startups will see an influx of capital, while a new $150 million fund focused on stem cell companies and regions has been launched. Tennessee Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN) announced that private investment in Tennessee-based, early stage companies surpassed $1 billion between 2012 and Q1 of 2016 – well ahead of its organizational goal of $1 billion invested by the end of 2017. LaunchTN attributes much of the local startup success to partnerships that have been cultivated with established organizations to offer mentorship at its accelerators. “Domain expertise from the music industry in Nashville and companies like FedEx in Memphis and Scripps in Knoxville gives our entrepreneurs real advantages in succeeding in those sectors,…

The Internet of Things (IoT) is all the rage within the information and telecommunications sector and has both applications and implications for every aspect of your life. IoT is described by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as “the connection of physical objects, infrastructure, and environments to various identifiers, sensors, networks and computing capability.” It will enable many existing industries to better track, manage and automate core functions, and as a result, other industries, services and means of doing everyday tasks will be altered in ways predicted and yet unimagined.  Will your life be simultaneously improved and diminished? Will convenience override any privacy concerns you might have? NITA has issued a request for public comments on the future benefits and challenges of IoT. SSTI encourages everyone to consider responding to any or all of the 28 questions outlined in the notice, available here. The deadline for filing comments is 5:00 P.M. ET on May 23, 2016. 

The National Science Foundation tells of a record number of doctorates awarded at the same time the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) reports opportunities to secure tenure-track positions continue to shrink, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association points out state support for higher education remains below Great Recession levels, and AAAS says many federal agency research budgets are only now approaching pre-sequestration levels of 2012. Basic economics would tell us, for most labor markets, a glut of skilled workers while the number of available job opportunities falls would apply downward pressure on wages. However, an article by Peter Schmidt in the April 22 print edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education points out full professors at America’s universities have seen their salaries rise on average 9 percent above their 2007-2008 pre-recession levels, even after adjusting for inflation. Why might this be happening? With their shrinking numbers, the existing class of productive full professors present a commodity few public and private research universities feel they can afford to lose in the pursuit of federal…

Alberta’s provincial government has announced a significant shift in its approach to economic development, moving from a program it had created just last fall to provide $5,000 for each new job created to a broader range of initiatives supporting business incubators, investor tax credits, and industrial diversification. In explaining the change in direction, the Economic Development and Trade Minister said, “Quite frankly, businesses and industry provided us feedback to say, ‘You know what, that isn’t quite going to give you the outcomes that you’re looking for,’ ” according to press reports.    Earlier this month, Alberta announced that it would be cancelling a job creation grant program that it had introduced in last October’s budget after receiving negative feedback from the business community. Under that cancelled program, Alberta planned to spend $178 million over two years by providing businesses and nonprofits up to $5,000 for each new employee with a cap of $500,000 per qualifying employer. In lieu of this plan, the province announced a suite of services that the administration hopes are more responsive to…

Maryland legislators recently approved a $42.3 billion fiscal year 2017 spending bill that incorporates many of the funding levels included in Gov. Larry Hogan’s proposal. Gov. Hogan made education a main focus of his proposal, and the final bill would hold university tuition increases to no more than 2 percent. In addition, legislators formalized the growing strategic partnership between University of Maryland campuses in Baltimore and College Park. The unification is intended to bolster the state’s research profile, and drive high-tech industries in the Baltimore region. Funding for the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) total $26.8 million, up from $18.9 million in FY 2016. TEDCO manages the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, which is set to receive a $9.1 million appropriation in FY 2017. Other life sciences initiatives, outside TEDCO, include the Office of BioHealth ($1.7 million) and the Maryland Biotechnology Investment Tax Credit Reserve Fund ($12 million). Maryland also offers a number of cybersecurity-related programs, including TEDCO’s Cybersecurity Investment Fund ($900,000), the Office of Cybersecurity and Aerospace…

In nearly every state, employers use non-compete agreements with the justification that these contracts can help protect trade secrets and reduce the probability of worker exits. At the same time, however, non-competes may impose a large cost on workers, whose bargaining power and future employment opportunities are reduced by the contract. New research from the Office of Economic Policy at the U.S. Department of Treasury evaluates the impacts of non-compete agreements and suggests that reform is needed in order to craft policies that best benefit firms, workers, and society as a whole. Non-compete Contracts: Economic Effects and Policy Implications discusses non-competes and their justifications, details and effects of their enforcement, and potential directions for reform. Of workers in the United States, approximately 18 percent report they are currently working under a non-compete agreement, while 37 percent report they have worked with one at some point in their career, according to the report. Employees working under a non-compete agreement are widely distributed across education, occupation, and income levels. The Office of Economic Policy’s analysis…

On April 25, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) will begin accepting applications for the 2016 round of the Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) program. A total of $15 million in federal funding will be available through the program’s i6 Challenge and Seed Fund Support Grant competition. EDA will hold a series of webinars next week leading up to the release of the Federal Funding Opportunity on April 25, 2016. Webinar times are available on EDA’s RIS page. SSTI will host a post-launch webinar with EDA on May 5, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. EDT. Register today…

Last week, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPMC) announced the launch of PRO Neighborhoods, a $125 million, five-year initiative to promote economic opportunity in disadvantaged neighborhoods around the country. PRO Neighborhoods will invest in local collaborative partnerships and financial solutions, focusing on community lending, housing capital and high-quality data. Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) partnerships and collaborative efforts to provide capital to small businesses in distressed neighborhoods may be eligible for support. Learn more…

Massachusetts legislators are debating the future of Gov. Charlie Baker’s $918 million economic development proposal, including investments in local infrastructure, emerging technologies, community-based innovation, brownfields cleanup, Gateway Cities development and workforce development. The proposal would implement several of the action items from Baker’s economic strategic plan, issued last November, over the next five years. About half of the funds would support local infrastructure projects, but other investments would bolster the Massachusetts’ Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, university tech commercialization and innovative co-working spaces. H. 3983, An Act to Provide Opportunities for All, is currently under consideration by the legislature’s Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. Funding for the effort would require some borrowing and allocations from the capital budget, but would attempt to tap public-private partnerships and federal sources for non-state support. The proposed investments have been tailored to encourage development outside the Boston metropolitan area, boosting economic progress through…

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) released a notice of intent to establish a Modular Chemical Process Intensification Institute for Clean Energy Manufacturing –the fourth National Manufacturing Innovation Institute sponsored by the Department of Energy. EERE will commit up to $70 million to spur innovation related to clean energy technologies that reduce energy and greenhouse gas emissions in energy-intensive and energy-related manufacturing.  EERE plans to issue the federal funding announcement in May. At that time, EERE will outline the final eligibility requirements, potential funding commitment, and other key details.  EERE also announced the availability of approximately $35 million in funding to institutions of higher education to assist small- and medium-sized U.S. manufacturers increase energy efficiency, productivity, sustainability, and competitiveness as well as help address the shortage of engineering professionals with applied energy-related skills. The Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) program provides hands-on training and education for undergraduate and graduate engineering…

SSTI is excited to announce the 2016 SSTI Excellence in TBED awards program. For the last nine years, SSTI has recognized initiatives that greatly impact state and regional economies a national competition showcasing effective and innovative approaches to building tech-based economies. To mark the program’s 10th anniversary, we will be announcing several changes to the program the next couple weeks – so stay tuned! In this week’s Digest, we wanted to highlight several of the key dates for the 2016 competition: 2016 Awards Categories Announced – April 21. Awards Brochure Released – May 4. Submissions Window Opens – May 9. Submissions Due – July 8, 2016! Winners Announced at SSTI’s 20th Annual Conference  – November 1-3. Help us improve the awards program by completing a brief survey. It includes a sneak peak of the potential categories for 2016! Other important events related to the 2016 SSTI Excellence in TBED awards program include: The week of May 9, we will hold the 20165 SSTI Awards Informational Call to help applicants gain helpful tips for writing an award-winning quality application…