SSTI Digest

As the Federal Aviation Administration continues to propose regulations around the fledging unmanned aircraft system (UAS) industry in order to ensure that it integrates into the current system as well as possible, states are beginning to act in order to improve their own competitiveness. The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 directed the FAA to establish a test sites program for the UAS, taking into account geographic and climatic diversity, location of ground infrastructure, and research needs in choosing the sites.

A new Virginia council will coordinate the state’s efforts to help young people create businesses. Gov. Terry McAuliffe recently signed Executive Order 47 establishing the Governor’s Council on Youth Entrepreneurship, following up on a series of roundtables with students and faculty. The council will issue recommendations later this year on how to give students more rights over their research and intellectual property, promote collaborative spaces for entrepreneurs and students to meet, integrate entrepreneurship into university curriculum, identify ways to award students academic credit for starting a business and remove cost barriers to student entrepreneurship. Read the announcement at: https://governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/newsarticle?articleId=12468.

Uber and the City of London are among the growing number of backers of a nearly driver-free world. Proponents of autonomous vehicles contend that they will lead to large cost savings for both consumers and transportation organizations while delivering a faster, more efficient transportation experience. However, there are still major strides to be made before the technology can be safely deployed in real world settings. Several U.S. states, cities, and the Canadian Province of Ontario have recently announced initiatives in an attempt to position themselves as leaders in the rapidly growing industries of autonomous and connected cars.

MichiganSeveral new initiatives to support the Michigan’s growing autonomous and connected car industry clusters have recently been announced. The long-time home of the U.S. auto industry, Michigan hopes to remain a global hub for next-generation automotive technologies as they evolve.  

SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series has returned as governors across the country formally convene the 2015 legislative sessions. The series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from governors' State of the State, Budget and Inaugural addresses.

The second installment of this year’s series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Read last week’s installment featuring speeches in California, Kentucky and Vermont here.

ArizonaGov. Doug Ducey, State of the State Address, Jan. 12, 2015“… Last week, I signed an order placing a moratorium on new regulations in the executive branch. It was a good beginning, but only a beginning.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe hopes to increase the commonwealth’s profile in the global life sciences industry through his recently launched Virginia Bioscience Initiative. The initiative will develop cross-agency linkages, as well as public-private partnerships, to support entrepreneurs, use big data to drive new discoveries and speed the commercialization of new technologies. Gov. McAuliffe released a number of other new initiatives in conjunction with his New Virginia Economy Strategic Plan, including a business plan competition that would focus on agriculture, bio-life sciences, cybersecurity, energy and social entrepreneurship, a community small business launch fund and tax incentives for energy companies and green job creators.

Over the last several years, universities have been forced to reimagine ways that they engage with alumni beyond the traditional method of fundraising via alumni donations. These universities and their alumni associations want to increase alumni involvement and facilitate interactions between their high-achieving alumni, faculty, and students. Over this same time span, many universities have increased the size and scope of their entrepreneurship curricula and degree programs. These two trends have started to merge as there has been a rise in the number of alumni angel networks that connect the talents and capital of alumni with faculty and students looking to launch an entrepreneurial venture.

Three research-focused economic development organizations have released reports over the course of the last month detailing their progress in supporting economic growth, innovation, and beyond. The University of Massachusetts, the Georgia Research Alliance, and the Virginia Center for Innovative Technologies each use a different approach to measure their success and to communicate their impact to external stakeholders. The variety of releases demonstrates the range of approaches that organizations use to provide useful data in a format that attracts attention to their achievements.

Investments and policy to support innovation-focused agendas have flourished with the close of the 2014 legislative sessions in several states. Crowdfunding legislation, incentives for attracting talent, higher education affordability, punishing patent trolls, and encouraging greater accountability are some of the areas where lawmakers focused their efforts.

Los Angeles County (CA), New York County (NY) and Cook County (IL) topped the list of places where people older than 25 with graduate or professional degrees moved to between 2007 and 2011, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s County-to-County Migration Flows Tables. Middlesex County (MA) and Fairfax County (VA) also ranked among the top destinations for highly educated transplants. The Census report provides data on domestic migration at the county level, including data on income and educational attainment. The report reveals that large flows of educated workers move both into and between these top counties. Read the Census report…

The second installment of SSTI’s Tech Talkin’ Govs series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Virginia. The first installment is available here.

Alabama

Gov. Robert Bentley, State of the State Address, Jan. 14, 2014

“We must create greater opportunity for Alabamians to acquire the skills needed for higher-paying jobs. Companies are looking for and jobs are waiting for skilled workers. ...

“... We will present legislation creating a Statewide Workforce Council of business and industry leaders who will advise educators and colleges on the workforce needs on the types of jobs needed in each region.

Now in its 14th year, SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series has returned as governors across the country formally convene the 2014 legislative sessions. The series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from governors' State of the State, Budget and Inaugural addresses. The first edition includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Idaho, Kentucky, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia. 

Idaho

Gov. Butch Otter, State of the State Address, Jan. 6, 2014

“We also must continue investing in the strong collaborative relationship between our universities and the Center for Advanced Energy Studies. That's why my budget calls for adding $1 million to our annual investment in that facility, which consistently yields incredible returns and value to Idaho's asset portfolio. …

As the outlook for general revenue funds improves in many states, governors are looking to boost investment in higher education and STEM as a means for growing the economy and enhancing the workforce. Universities' economic return to states can be quite impactful. A recent study commissioned by the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan, found the state's 15 public universities have a $23.9 billion economic footprint — collectively supporting more than $12 billion in earnings in 2012. Governors in Alaska, Missouri, Utah, Virginia, and Washington recently unveiled budget recommendations for the upcoming fiscal year or biennium calling for additional funds to support university-based initiatives including research, infrastructure, tuition freezes, and funding to graduate more students in STEM fields.