SSTI Digest

The current fiscal pressures on regional technology-based economic development initiatives have been never greater than they are now. And, as the article above points out, things are going to get worse over 2010 and 2011 before they get better. Additionally, since local communities became proactive partners with their universities, businesses, tech councils, civic organizations, and states to support economic growth through innovation, the need for local TBED never has been greater. Economists and policy wonks agree: the next economy is being built on innovation and technology. So how will you sustain or jumpstart your regional TBED initiatives as traditional sources of funding contract? SSTI is dedicating several sessions at our upcoming Annual Conference specifically to help answer that question for local, nonprofit, university and state TBED programs. Here are some highlights: Setting Your Federal Agenda: Working with Your Congressional Delegation Often overlooked or viewed primarily as a vehicle by which to earmark federal funds, your congressional delegation can be a key partner in building a tech-based economy. But for it to be an…

This week's Digest covers two new independent reports that separately assess two critical aspects to how well nations are prepared for the economic recovery: competitiveness and educational attainment. The news, obvious in our choice of headlines, may suggest the past year - actually several years - has not been kind to the United States relative to other nations. Reading the articles one will see, however, that it isn't time that is working against the U.S. but rather our progress on several indicators of preparedness for a future based on innovation, technology and entrepreneurship. The reports show other nations are succeeding in laying a more solid foundation for their future than the U.S. is preparing for itself. At this moment, every aspect of the U.S. economy is in a period of transformation. And nearly every aspect of getting out of the current mess is related to one or more of the fundamental principles of tech- based economic development (TBED). That's pretty impressive. But it also is pretty daunting. Congress is hardly focused on the issue at all. Meanwhile, the resources available to handle state and regional transformation are growing scarcer. As a…

In the nation with the greatest difference in lifetime incomes between those people with college degrees and those without, it may be surprising to learn the U.S. ranking for college graduation rates has fallen from 1st in 1995 to 14th in 2007. The finding is included in Education at a Glance 2009, an indicator report looking at countries who belong to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). U.S. graduation rates have not fallen as a percentage of those students attending American colleges and universities for degrees above an associate's degree - growing from 33 percent in 1995 to 37 percent in 2007 - but rather relative to the graduation rates attained by the other 25 OECD countries included in the study. Nevertheless, the finding should be troubling for policymakers and TBED practitioners in an increasingly knowledge-based and competitive global economy. In addition to 13 nations graduating more students with bachelors or similar degrees, the U.S. figure of 37 percent is lower than the OECD-country average of 39 percent. Also, the rate of growth for the graduation rate in the U.S. is not keeping pace with the 18 percent average…

The United States fell from its position as the most competitive national economy according to the World Economic Forum's (WEF) recently released annual Global Competitiveness Report. Switzerland took the top spot as the U.S. fell to a close second place in the weighted ranking system. The report attributed the switch in positions to a number of growing weaknesses that have plagued the U.S. over the past year, while the Swiss economy remained relatively stable. Though the U.S. continues to perform well in measures of innovation, the country declined in indices of its institutional effectiveness and macroeconomic stability. The U.S.'s persistent fiscal deficits and trade imbalances were noted as a particular threat to the nation's mid- and long-term competitiveness. The Global Competitiveness Report ranks 133 countries based on the institutions, policies and factors that, according to WEF, determine the level of national productivity and prosperity. The indices and data compiled in the report are organized into 12 'pillars' of competitiveness. These pillars are weighted and used to determine a country's final ranking. Because the importance of these pillars differs…

As economists and policymakers debate the details of how and when the nation will recover from the recession, the topic of entrepreneurship and the role it will play in shaping the new economy continually arises. In the coming years, some analysts predict a rise in entrepreneurship both as a result of massive layoffs and an aging workforce not yet ready or able to retire. Highlighting the correlation between joblessness and the uptick in entrepreneurship, several recent news articles have featured stories of the unemployed forgoing disappointing job searches and the corporate environment to pursue business ownership. At the same time, the U.S. may be on the cusp of an entrepreneurial boom thanks to its aging population. A recent report by the Kauffman Foundation finds the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity belongs to 55-64 year olds. The study points to several factors driving this shift, including changes in job tenure, an increase in life expectancy, and the continued decline of lifetime employment and the experience and tacit knowledge such employees carry with them. Additionally, stronger regulations aiming to prevent the rise of giant organizations may help…

A complete description of this opportunity is available at: http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm. The Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC) has a full time opportunity for a Manager Request for Help Program. EMTEC is a non-profit, collaborative R&D organization located in Dayton, Ohio helping accelerate technologies to market and specializing in advanced technologies. The primary responsibilities of this position include providing technical assistance to EMTEC members, developing member value, and other EMTEC program support. Requirements include an undergraduate degree in Engineering or Materials Science; a minimum of five years experience in industrial product development and manufacturing with strong preference to experience in instruments, controls, and electronics and/or advanced energy industrial products experience; technical sales support experience is a plus.

Offering some good news for universities and companies looking for funding, the National Science Board (NSB) has recommended the elimination of any evidence of voluntary cost share from most grant proposals to the National Science Foundation (NSF). However, the board recommended mandatory cost matching should be reinstated in a handful of initiatives, including its Engineering Research Centers (ERC) program, its Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) program, and its EPSCoR program. The return of mandatory matching funds may present a mixed bag for state and university TBED policies in an era of shrinking financial resources. States that have programs in place to match federal research grants are well positioned strategically to support those opportunities that may provide the fit with the state's tech-based economic development goals. States without matching-grant mechanisms already established may need to expand their portfolio of programs if growing the research enterprise is one of their TBED priorities. These recommendations and several others are included in the new NSB report, Investing in the Future: NSF Cost Sharing Policies for a…

Much emphasis has been placed on the importance of green jobs in the next economy as the nation continues to shed jobs in traditional industries. Creating these specialized jobs is a major priority for states across the nation that will compete for renewable energy industries. Two recent announcements in California and Michigan illustrate efforts underway to recruit and prepare a workforce capable of meeting critical industry needs. California Leveraging $20 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding with additional public and private funds, California is investing $75 million to establish the Clean Energy Workforce Training Program. The goal is to train more than 20,000 new or re-skilled clean energy workers specifically targeting unemployed, underemployed, and new workers, according to the governor's office. Training through community colleges, workforce investment boards, and partnership academies in high schools will prepare workers for jobs as solar installers, sustainable landscapers and water systems designers, and green building designers. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said the program will help to develop a highly-trained workforce,…

SSTI believes conference sponsors deserve to stand out to attendees so exhibits are placed prominently in a highly-visible location. Only our exhibit and host partners are provided with the opportunity to exhibit. Sponsorship increases your credibility and relevance. Today's marketplace is about belonging and staying connected. No other event brings together the nation's top players in the TBED community. As an SSTI Conference Sponsor, you have the chance to showcase your organization with the decision makers responsible for crafting and implementing local and state-level policies and programs that directly contribute to the nation's competitiveness. Last year's conference included more than 350 representatives from 48 states and four countries. As a conference sponsor you gain: Access. You have the opportunity to interact and engage with attendees during the conference. SSTI's conference provides in-person networking that can't be beat. Exposure. You become a part of the TBED community's most powerful network. Please contact Noelle Sheets to become an Exhibiting Sponsor or request a complete listing of the current sponsorship opportunities.…

The Montana Department of Commerce has announced that it will provide $2.5 million in grants to support bio-medical research. Montana-based, private nonprofit research institutions are eligible to apply for the funding, which may be used to expand, renovate and purchase equipment for biomedical research. The grants also may be used to expand infrastructure that will enhance scientific collaborations within the Montana University System. The program is part of a longer-term effort in Montana to improve its research infrastructure and promote the state as a recognized center for bio-medical research. Funding for the grant program was set aside by the Montana legislature earlier this year through the state's biennial appropriations. Similar awards have been offered in the past through the Department of Commerce, but the $2.5 million now available is a significant increase for the program. In 2007, the entire $2 million that was available was awarded to the McLaughlin Research Institute to expand its facility and research team, and to provide new educational opportunities for high school and college students. The program requires applicants to obtain matching funds…

In 2008, the U.S. ranked 17th in R&D tax generosity out of the 21 OECD countries that offered some form of R&D tax credits to businesses, according to a recent brief put out by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF). In U.S. Continues to Tread Water in Global R&D Tax Incentives, authors Rob Atkinson and Scott Andes state even though the U.S. had the most generous R&D tax incentives in the world throughout the 1980s, its relative ranking has slid over the decades as other countries have strategically used tax policy as a tool to spur private sector R&D. Their suggestion for improving the U.S. competitiveness regarding this topic: both expand and make permanent the existing R&D federal tax credit. Taking the U.S. Alternative Simplified Credit (ASC) as an example, which provides a 14 percent credit on R&D expenditures exceeding 50 percent of base expenditures, the U.S. would need to increase the ASC to 20 percent to improve its position to 10th place among OECD countries. If the U.S. wanted to regain its prominence among OECD countries by being first in R&D tax generosity, the authors calculated the ASC should be…

Outlining his Colorado Promise three years ago as a newly-elected governor, Gov. Bill Ritter envisioned an economy that supports high-wage jobs and offers an environment for businesses to expand and thrive. Educational programs would be synched with industry needs to produce a skilled workforce, workers would be trained in the high-demand fields relevant to each of the state's diverse regions, and enough businesses would be operating to employ them. Two years later, Gov. Ritter convened the Jobs Cabinet, bringing together the state's economic development, education, and workforce communities to make recommendations for aligning jobs with industry needs. The cabinet presented to the governor last month a report and recommendations for achieving this goal in the report "Economic Competitiveness through Collaboration, Talent Development, and Innovation." Operating on the notion that in today's global economy, competitiveness is less about providing infrastructure or tax incentives and more about providing innovation and talent, the cabinet makes several recommendations focused around five core areas: collaboration, engagement, marketing, information, and…