SSTI Digest

New efforts to step up technology transfer at the University of New Mexico (UNM) and the University of Tennessee (UT) have resulted in a record number of invention disclosures over the last year. In both cases, much of the achievement is attributed to faulty involvement, including new outreach efforts by the universities and more aggressive and ambitious goals set for the institutions.

In New Mexico, UNM's technology transfer office, the Science and Technology Corp., reported a record number of new technologies disclosed by faculty, including a 50 percent increase in biomedical or life science breakthroughs, reports the Albuquerque Journal. Aggressive efforts to recruit entrepreneurs to develop and market the technology led to 46 marketing licenses acquired by investors in 2012 and seven new startups were formed based on UNM inventions, the article states.

Come early or stay late and bring the whole family with you to SSTI's 16th Annual Conference, October 29-30. Atlanta has the biggest aquarium, the coolest Coca Cola Museum, and some of the best golf in the U.S. Outdoor activities that celebrate nature, like the Atlanta Botanical Garden and Piedmont Park abound, as does high culture — from art museums to great shopping. You could spend a month in Atlanta without doing the same thing twice.

While there are options all over the city, many are just steps away the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center's front door. Conference attendees receive a special room rate of $159 until October 8, or while supply lasts. To get the most out of your time in Atlanta, these outstanding rates will be honored five days before and after the conference.

The great rates don't stop there. Below is an array of special discounts and inexpensive options for many of Atlanta's top attractions:

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that it is accepting applications for the establishment of Innovation Corps (I-Corps) teams and sites. These programs are intended to provide additional funding and other services to help researchers commercialize NSF-funded scientific discoveries at institutions of higher education.

I-Corps team awards provide mentoring and additional funding to promising, NSF-funded researchers at institutions of higher education to accelerate innovation, attract subsequent third-party funding and increase the commercialization of scientific discoveries. NSF intends to commit $12.5 million to support up to 250 I-Corps teams in 2013. Proposals for I-Corps teams are due December 17, 2012. Read the I-Corps teams funding announcement.

Borrowing from an industry sector phrase used to describe a complete view of investment impact, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) unveiled its new Triple Bottom Line tool to help economic development practitioners and investors assess, compare and communicate the potential impact of projects. EDA says the triple bottom line approach can help better align economic development investments with other community priorities to maximize impact.

The tool uses a process called multi-criteria decision analysis to generate a score for three triple bottom line goals: economic vitality, natural resource stewardship and community well-being. Each goal is comprised of performance areas, which in turn consist of measures to help deliver those outcomes. A summary report generates both project information and project scores. The tool also will generate a due diligence report providing a list of items identified as completed, due to be completed, or warranting further attention.

To better serve all parts of the state by connecting experienced mentors with startup companies, the Kentucky Innovation Network has a new name and logo, a tighter focus, and expanded services. Established in 2002 as the Innovation and Commercialization Center program, the Kentucky Innovation Network will offer services to entrepreneurs from 13 locations across the state, and as part of the re-branding effort, three smaller centers will be upgraded to full-service centers. The centers offer services such as business mentoring, assistance to growth strategy and access to funding and capital networks. Officials say the new name complements an increased emphasis on promoting the network's statewide, multi-office capabilities and resources. Read more...

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state has started accepting applications for the $25 million "Connect NY" program to promote and expand broadband Internet access. The grants will be awarded to public-private partnerships comprised of internet service providers, local governments and economic-development organizations. Grants are made available through the Regional Economic Development Councils and Empire State Development with the dual intent to spur investment by service providers in communities and help boost economic development in underserved rural upstate and urban areas of the state by stimulating local business growth. Read the press release...

University licensing and commercialization activity remained steady in 2011, with modest increases in most areas of technology transfer activity, according to the most recent edition of the Association of University Technology Managers' (AUTM) U.S. Licensing Activity Survey. AUTM released a preview of its 2011 survey results this week, with a full report to follow later this year.

Deals with existing small companies increased 24 percent and the number of licenses executed grew by 14 percent, ranking among the few data points that showed significant increases over 2011. The number of new commercial products created with university technologies fell by 10 percent to 591.

Participating universities and colleges (including affiliated hospitals and research centers) reported 671 startup companies were formed based on their institution's research in 2011, up 3 percent from the previous year. Of those startups, 487 listed the institution's home state as their primary place of business.

In comparison to most of its peer states, Colorado's workforce excels in educational attainment and entrepreneurship, according to the first Colorado Innovation Index. The index, published by the Colorado Innovation Network, evaluates Colorado's economy in relation to seven benchmark states, including Arizona, California, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Utah. Only Massachusetts had a higher percentage of Bachelor's degree holders in its workforce, and only Massachusetts and New York had a higher percentage of graduate degree holders. The report includes data on the state's talent, research, capital and entrepreneurship resources. Download the index...

The start of a new school year is already underway leading to the often dreaded task of choosing a major. For today's students, balancing a rewarding career with one that offers in-demand employment opportunities has become even more of a struggle. Results from a new survey suggest the engineering field might just fit the bill, however. A survey of more than 1,200 mechanical engineers offers insight into a profession where most hold an optimistic view of their work and their ability to impact lives and meet global challenges. To do so, engineers expect to work more in interdisciplinary teams, enhance their skills, and learn to better communicate outside their field.

This week, White House officials announced the names of the country's first class of Presidential Innovation Fellows. The 18 fellows, drawn from the ranks of private sector innovators and entrepreneurs, will spend six months working on five high-impact projects aimed at supporting U.S. entrepreneurs, small businesses and the economy. Read the announcement

Tony Grindberg, executive director at the NDSU Research and Technology Park, has announced his resignation effective Sept. 30. He has accepted a position as the business unit manager for the Aerospace Business Unit of Appareo Systems, LLC. Appareo Systems is headquartered in the NDSU Research Park on the NDSU campus. Grindberg has been with the NDSU Research Park for the past 10 years.

Harold Bradley has retired from the Kauffman Foundation after serving as chief investment officer since 2007. Bradley's departure follows that of Bob Litan, Kauffman's vice president for research and policy, who joined Bloomberg Government in Washington as director of research earlier this month. Mary McLean, the foundation's managing director of investments, will take on day-to-day responsibilities tied to the supervision of the investment staff.

Long-term U.S competitiveness is threatened due to a lack of progress in U.S. child development areas that are the best indicators of human capital development, according to a new report from the Center for American Progress — The Competition that Really Matters. The authors found that U.S. gains in education, health, family income and childhood poverty and pro-family workplace policies have remained stagnate while our competitors including China and India have increased significantly since 1980. If U.S. policymakers do not address these issues, the authors contend that the next-generation U.S. workforce will not be prepared adequately to compete in a global economy.

While the U.S. economy weakens, the U.S. share of the world economy fell to 19 percent in 2011 from 25 percent in 1980, China and India continue to increase their share of world economic output since 1980. The authors found that between 1980, China's share of world output grew from 2 percent to 14 percent and India grew from 2.5 percent to almost 6 percent.