For three decades, the SSTI Digest has been the source for news, insights, and analysis about technology-based economic development. We bring together stories on federal and state policy, funding opportunities, program models, and research that matter to people working to strengthen regional innovation economies.
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As agencies begin delivering their implementation plans in response to President Trump’s executive order that called for the implementation of “gold standard science (GSS)” and asserted that “(r)eproducibility, rigor, and unbiased peer review” must be maintained, the proposed agency actions appear less disruptive than many funded parties had feared. NIH notes that its embrace of GSS is a continuation of its existing commitment to scientific excellence and that the agency “welcomes the opportunity to reaffirm its continued commitment to this goal.” NSF sets forth plans to “redouble” its commitment to GSS.
Research parks in North America impact innovation communities in key areas, including the economy, jobs, occupancy, culture and placemaking, cluster development, entrepreneurship, and development and growth. In its recently released 2025 Economic Impact Report, The Power of North American Research Parks, the Association of University Research Parks (AURP) presents data that shows just how significant these impacts are.
From 2022 to 2023, domestic R&D expenditures increased 4%, or $29 billion, but remained nearly unchanged when adjusted for inflation. This apparent slowdown follows a streak averaging nearly 12% ($59 billion) year-over-year growth from 2018 to 2022, and 8% over the past decade from 2014 to 2023. Adjusting for inflation paints a different picture of the growth trends, with a more modest annual average of 8% from 2018 to 2022 and 6% over the past decade. In this edition of Useful Stats, SSTI uses new Business Enterprise R&D (BERD) survey data to explore business R&D expenditures since 2009. Then, we present the data by sector and industry, allowing for closer analysis of which business R&D see the most investment in the U.S.
“Buckeye Bridge,” a new initiative between The Ohio State University and Columbus State Community College, will provide students with a tuition-free path to finish their bachelor’s degree. Low- to middle-income Ohioans who earn an associate degree from Columbus State will qualify for the new program at Ohio State, which will cover all tuition and mandatory fees.
The SSTI Board of Trustees has appointed Nick Maynard, co-founder and CEO of US Ignite, as a member of the board. “I'm excited to work with Nick as he joins SSTI's board,” said Mark Skinner, CEO of SSTI. “Since meeting Dr. Maynard fifteen years ago, he has proven in my estimation to be one of the brightest, most thoughtful, solutions-oriented people in the country working to advance regional economic growth through innovation."
After a nine-month hiatus, the Economic Development Administration has reopened its Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance programs with an updated Notice of Funding Opportunity. In the past, this funding has supported a variety of technology-based economic development projects, including research commercialization centers, business incubators and accelerators, revolving loan funds, workforce development initiatives, and regional strategic planning activities, as well as other infrastructure and economic development projects in economically distressed communities.
SSTI has learned from Ben Page, deputy assistant secretary for economic development and chief operating officer in the U.S. Department of Commerce that U.S. Economic Development Administration is discontinuing funding for the University Centers, Trade Adjustment Assistance to Firms, and STEM Talent Challenge programs. The reason cited was budget constraints.
SSTI recently examined the investment histories of 31 Venture Development Organizations (VDOs) across 20 states to quantify their impact and help to characterize how the broader technology-based economic development (TBED) community supports long-term innovation-driven economic and financial returns. Our top-level findings showed that
VDOs have invested in 4,600 companies,
VDO-backed companies employ 323,000 people and pay nearly $29 billion in annual wages,
companies supported by VDO investments have gone on to raise $25 billion, and
the median deal size for VDOs is $260,000.
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) is inviting comments regarding the proposed collection of information for its Breakthrough Innovations Initiative application. According to the notice in the Federal Register, published on Sept. 19, 2025, they are launching this initiative “to enable researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs to apply unconventional approaches to create game-changing technologies and translate discoveries into tangible applications and products.”
The National Science Foundation (NSF) National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) has recently updated 35 of its over 50 indicators covering education, R&D, and workforce, among other important topics. These indicators are available in two forms: the Science & Engineering Indicators and Science and Engineering State Profiles.
Each of the more than 50 indicators are available in the Indicator tool, where users can select any statistic to display on a state-level map broken down by quartiles, as well as in various charts and a downloadable data table.
Like the broader metric of R&D intensity, the prominence of R&D value added in a state’s economic output has shifted within several states over the past decade. Does it matter? For sustaining a state’s innovation competitiveness, it may, and subsequently it is important to know for many state and regional TBED initiatives. Proximity to the conduct of R&D has been well documented in empirical research to support strong regional innovation economies. Subsequently many TBED policies are designed to increase and maintain R&D activity within those boundaries as well as ensure the localized spillover effects are maximized. Determining where R&D activity is thriving and the size of its value added to the state’s GDP, particularly manufacturing-related R&D, may help inform those policy decisions. SSTI explores the latest data on state R&D value added in this Useful Stats article.
