SSTI Digest

Gov. Peter Shumlin introduced a plan to invest $8 million in university programs designed to address a shortage of skilled workers. Under the plan, the University of Vermont and Vermont State Colleges each would receive $4 million in one-time funding to implement university-industry partnerships, facilitate re-entry of science and engineering professionals, and expand dual enrollment for high school seniors. In his Budget address to lawmakers last week, Gov. Shumlin cited a disparity between high-quality jobs that are available and skilled workers to fill those positions as inspiration for his higher education proposals.

With a sharp decline in state funding available for higher education over the past several years, performance- and outcome-based funding has garnered a great deal of attention in several states seeking to maximize education funds and support economic growth. Governors in Arizona and New Mexico recently proposed significant reforms in higher education funding so that universities with greater R&D expenditures and those that graduate more students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields would receive a bigger share of state funds. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's funding plan for higher education builds on a formula recommendation published last year by the Board of Regents that includes increases in degrees, credit hours and outside research and public service funding. Gov. Brewer recommends moving to the Board of Regents $15 million of the universities' base funding, which would be allocated using each university's share of total general fund support. The state would match the $15 million, for a total $30 million to be allocated by the Board of Regents to the universities based on an agreed-upon funding formula.

Across the U.S. and Canada, universities continue to forge public-private partnerships focused on creating a formalized approach to turn university research into market-ready products and startup companies. Three universities and their respective partners recently have announced efforts to bring inventors, the community and investors closer together. They also intended to provide potential entrepreneurs with the skills, mentorship and resources need to launch a startup company. Simon Fraser University Simon Fraser University (British Columbia, Canada) launched a $210,000 high-tech entrepreneurship initiative that will establish an incubator targeted at third- and fourth-year business and applied sciences students. The program will provide skills, mentors and resources to help launch new, student-led startups from innovative ideas. Students accepted into the program will take a variety of courses and have access to mentors, scholarships and a product design studio. Over the next seven years, the university hopes to accept 20 to 25 students with the goal of producing six potential companies or products annually.

The National Science Foundation's National Science Board has released the 2012 edition of its biennial compilation of U.S. science and engineering indicators and trends. This year's release includes an interactive tool to view state S&E data and a separate digest with 30 key data points for evaluating U.S. progress. While the U.S. still leads the world in many of these key metrics, developing countries appear to have made significant strides in S&E competitiveness, according to the report. Additional data will be available after February 15.

Between 2002 and 2010, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) created 85 percent of new jobs in the European Union (EU), according to "Do SMEs Create More and Better Jobs?" — a new report from the European Commission. During this period, SMEs' annual employment growth (1 percent) grew at twice the rate of large enterprise (0.5 percent). Fueled mostly by the birth of new SMEs, net employment in the EU rose by an average of 1.1 million new jobs each year. In 2010, SMEs employ 67 percent of all workers in Europe. The report contends that these results imply that the employment share of the SME size class has increased over time, and indicates the increasing relevance of SMEs to the EU's overall economy. The study also shows that new firms (younger than five years) are responsible for an overwhelming majority of the new jobs. However, only 50 of new firms last past the first five years. The report contends that newly born SMEs more than compensates for job loss caused by the death of enterprises in all size classes.

SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series has returned for its 12th annual edition. The series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from governors' State of the State, Budget and Inaugural addresses across the nation. The first installment includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Georgia, Iowa, New York, Kentucky, South Dakota, Vermont, and Virginia. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, State of the State Address, Jan. 10, 2012 "... I want to announce two ambitious goals. Georgians deserve a world-class, public medical university, and it will be a priority of this administration to have a medical college among the top 50 nationally. ... "... Also within this push, the Georgia Health Sciences University will seek to become the state's second National Cancer Institute designated Cancer Center ... This designation would mean greater access to research dollars and enhance our ability to recruit top cancer specialists. "... To support this goal of a second Georgia-based Cancer Center, my budget proposal includes an investment of $5 million. ... "...

U.S. Secretary of Commerce John Bryson recently presented the key findings of a year-long study into the challenges and opportunities facing the national innovation economy (full video of the event is available at the Center for American Progress site). Over the past decade, a number of warning signs, such as declining job creation, poor student preparedness in science and math and aging infrastructure, have indicated that the U.S. is en route to a less dominant position in the global economy. The Department of Commerce (DOC) report focuses on the need for the federal government to collaborate with the private sector to increase research spending, improve STEM education and revitalize manufacturing. One year ago, Congress reauthorized the America COMPETES Act, which required DOC to prepare a report on U.S. economic competitiveness and innovation. A 15-member Innovation Advisory Board, with representatives from federal agencies, regional groups, foundations and the private sector, worked throughout 2010 on the report.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell unveiled his 2012 legislative and budget actions that support his administration's ongoing Opportunity to Learn K-12 education agenda. The governor's proposed budget also includes $438 million in new K-12 funding over the next biennium.

Gov. Butch Otter unveiled plans for a targeted partnership among industry, higher education and government that invests in R&D to produce new technologies — and ultimately — jobs. The governor is asking lawmakers to approve $5 million for startup costs in the FY13 budget. Legislation to be introduced later this session will provide a plan for reorganizing the Idaho Innovation Council and implementing the initiative — called IGEM for Idaho Global Entrepreneurship Mission. IGEM seeks to increase the state's knowledge-based economy by investing in strategic areas of research and developing a world-class talent pool. The program is modeled on similar initiatives in Utah and Virginia. As part of the IGEM initiative, the governor recommends $2 million for competitive state university research funds awarded through the Idaho Higher Education Research Council. This is envisioned as seed funding for investing in the development of expertise, products and services that can be commercialized. Another $2 million (up from $1.6 million in FY12) is included for the Center for Advanced Studies, which would serve as a partner in the IGEM initiative.

An economic development policy and strategic plan presented to lawmakers last month identifies several steps for investing in the innovation community to improve the state's competitiveness. To create a robust and supportive environment for new company formation and tech commercialization, the report recommends increasing by 20 percent annually over the next five years state funding for capital and incubator and accelerator programs. The plan, put forth by Economic Development Planning Council under Gov. Deval Patrick, is the latest competitiveness report to promote investments in research, entrepreneurship and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for economic growth (see the Oct. 26, 2011 issue of the Digest). The report identifies five steps with corresponding action items outlined for each. Steps include advancing education and workforce development for middle-skill jobs; supporting innovation and entrepreneurship; supporting regional development through infrastructure investments; increasing the ease of doing business; and addressing competitiveness.

Connecticut Innovations (CI), a quasi-public agency supporting high-tech industries, will match state funds to expand access to capital programs and launch new initiatives supporting tech transfer efforts. CI's board this week announced the deployment of $250 million over five years for activities including SBIR assistance, establishing three technology accelerator hubs and recruiting emerging tech companies nationally and internationally.

In order to build thriving clean energy industries, state clean energy funds should devote a significant portion of their funding to economic development, according to a new report from the Brookings Institute. While most funds focus on clean energy project installation, additional state funding for R&D, early stage capital, entrepreneurial support and other activities are important elements in an effective cleantech strategy. Read the report...