SSTI Digest

Do high-growth, tech entrepreneurs require different mentoring and educational assistance than other entrepreneurs? The Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) on successful models, metric and programming for high-growth entrepreneurial mentoring and education. Responses will be used to shape future initiatives at SBA and other federal agencies. Comments must be received by July 12. The RFI and a presentation on the request are available at: http://www.ssti.org/rfi.htm

A group of prominent American businessman recently issued five recommendations on how the federal government should address the nations need for energy innovation. The American Energy Innovation Council, which includes Bill Gates from Microsoft, Jeff Immelt from General Electric, Ursela Burns from Xerox, Norm Augustine formerly with Lockheed Martin, John Doerr from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and Tim Solso from Cummins Inc., proposes a national oversight board for energy technology policy and billions in funding for energy research, commercialization and pilot projects. These recommendations would help increase U.S. economic competitiveness, mitigate the environmental toll of energy production and improve national security, according to the report. The council's recommendations include: Creating an independent, national Energy Strategy Board — The board would develop and monitor the progress of a national energy plan. It would include directors of related federal programs, technology experts and agency heads. Investing $16 billion per year in clean energy innovation — Federal investment in basic and applied energy research should be increased by…

Investments in innovation, research, education and other technology-based economic development priorities have been receiving considerable amplification since President Obama took office last year. For the past 18 months, the key agencies that support R&D and TBED initiatives have been promoting the need to move federal investments in economic development and research more toward innovation. The question is: will the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) let that happen? OMB issued two memoranda on June 8 that present significant challenges to affecting real change in federal economic development priorities and launching any new programs. Reining in the federal deficit will require significant cuts in spending. The cuts that begin in FY12 should be done surgically rather than across-the-board, OMB asserts. President Obama has set a goal of halving the deficit by the end of 2012. To accomplish that, OMB has asked each non-security agency to submit FY12 budget requests that are five percent below the discretionary spending the agency requested in FY11. [Note: the FY11 budget has not been approved by Congress and, according to all reliable sources, is…

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter recently signed legislation to fund initiatives around the state preparing workers for the clean energy economy. The Green Jobs Colorado Program bill, originally proposed last year by Gov. Ritter, was included in a package of sixteen clean energy related bills passed state legislature in May. Gov. Ritter believes that this package of bills will position Colorado as "a national leader in New Energy Economy." Housed in the office of the governor, this two-year pilot program will offer grants to workforce development organizations, employers, educational institutions, apprenticeship programs and economic development organizations to develop or expand current clean-energy job training programs. Federal stimulus funds from the Recovery Act will support the $566,660 program. Sixty-seven percent of the funds will be distributed during FY 2010-11, with the remaining funding allocated during FY 2011-12. Application approval and fund distribution will occur through the newly formed Colorado Advisory Council. Programs that target entry-level or incumbent workers, low-income individuals and dislocated workers from industries in decline will receive…

A new Georgia center features a variety of resources to assist life science entrepreneurs. The Georgia Bioscience Commercialization Center, funded by Georgia Bio and the Georgia Research Alliance, offers incubation space, counseling for experienced bioscience executives, entrepreneur education, and connection to TBED organizations around the state. Read more ...

Citing further damage to the state's reputation as a place to do business, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, vetoed SB 2401, a measure to suspend Hawaii's high-tech tax credit, which provides a 100 percent refundable tax credit for investments in qualified high-tech businesses. Lt. Gov. Aiona also challenged the legislature's assertion that the bill would have saved the state $93 million a year, stating that it was uncertain whether revenues from the measure could have been counted toward the state budget because a number of investors and businesses likely were to challenge the measure in court if it became law, according to a press release. Lt. Gov. Aiona is acting governor while Gov. Linda Lingle travels overseas. Read the veto letter: http://hawaii.gov/ltgov/news/files/2010/SB2401%20-%20SOBJ.pdf

In support of President Obama's Educate to Innovate campaign, NASA launched a new STEM education initiative on June 10. NASA's Summer of Innovation provides thousands of middle school teachers and students the opportunity to participate in evidence-based summer learning programs in the math and sciences. These multi-week math and science-based pilot programs will occur through the summer at locations across the country. The program's goal is to cultivate a new generation of aspiring scientists, mathematicians, and engineers with an emphasis on increasing the participation of low-income, minority students. The program also will include flagship events and design competitions open to students and teachers nationwide.

Sponsorship opportunities are designed to help your organization build awareness and develop beneficial relationships with the nation's top state and regional tech-based economic development decisionmakers. You can join with our great sponsors already onboard to take advantage of this powerful networking and outreach opportunity by contacting Noelle Sheets, SSTI director of membership services, at sheets@ssti.org or 614.901.1690. Please contact SSTI as soon as possible to request the 2010 sponsorship benefit information, as all national sponsorship opportunities are on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline for inclusion in the conference brochure is June 30. SSTI's 14th Annual Conference, Accelerating Innovation: The Road Ahead for Tech-based Economic Development will be held Sept. 14-16 in Pittsburgh. SSTI would like to thank our current National Sponsors:   Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Innovation Works Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer Lytmos Group, Inc. NIST's Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program NIST's Technology Innovation Program United…

"In order for educational programming in science and technology to be transformative, it must be comprehensive, sustained, and authentic." - Susan Palisano Click here to listen to SSTI's Interview with Susan Palisano of the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) SSTI has an effective new learning tool for TBED policymakers and practitioners seeking guidance in approaches to building and sustaining tech-based economies. Through exclusive interviews with Excellence in TBED Award recipients, find out first-hand how these award-winning initiatives successfully responded to a critical need by applying innovative approaches to generate substantial economic gains for their region. 2009 Winner for the Enhancing the Science & Technology Workforce category CCAT's Education Initiative has established a core philosophy for the development of K-12 programs that emphasizes experiential, authentic learning and focuses on meeting the demands of the digital workplace by exposing students and teachers to real-world high technology applications. Over 1,200 students from both Connecticut and across the country have…

After failing twice in the U.S. House of Representatives, the reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act passed with a 262-150 vote . The final House version includes the full five-year reauthorization and the increases in authorization levels for the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Energy Office of Science over the next three years that were removed in previous version of the bill.The bill is expected to marked up in the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in the next few weeks, and to come to the Senate floor before the July 4 recess. Read the House committee press release ...

Florida's FY11 budget, signed into law last month by Gov. Charlie Crist, replenishes the Innovation Incentive Fund with $75 million. The recruitment fund was immediately tapped by lawmakers for $50 million toward enticing Maine's Jackson Laboratory to open a branch in Collier County, leaving $25 million for other major R&D projects and create high wage jobs throughout Florida. The state has promised the Jackson Lab project an additional $80 million over the next three years if developed. The $75 million FY11 appropriation for the Innovation Incentive Fund is contingent upon passage of increased federal Medicaid funds to the states, however. Established in 2006, the Fund is responsible for attracting some of the most recognizable life sciences institutions, including the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, SRI International, and the Max Plank Society. The newest recruit, Maine-based Jackson Labs, specializes in genetics research. A 14,000-square-foot research institute that could break ground as early as fall is planned for the Florida branch, reports Marco Eagle. In addition to the Jobs Bill approved by the legislature earlier in the session (see…

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley recently announced a new effort to direct $100 million to public and private venture capital investors. The InvestMaryland program would offer insurance companies tax credits to generate the funds, which would either be invested directly in startup companies or in private venture firms. Governor O'Malley's current proposal would provide $50 million to the Maryland Venture Fund and the other $50 million to venture capital firms. The state's Department of Business and Economic Development plans to work with legislators, businesses and universities to draft a bill for next year's legislative session. Maryland, like much of the country, has experienced a significant decline in venture capital (VC) investment since the beginning of the current recession. Venture firms across the country invested $17.8 billion last year, 41.5 percent less than in 2007, according to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Moneytree Survey. Maryland, experienced a larger relative decline than the country as a whole, sliding from $602 million to $284 million, a 52.8 percent decrease. In his announcement, Gov. O'Malley noted that venture investment is particularly important in the…