SSTI Digest

The third installment of the Tech Talkin' Govs series includes highlights from state of the state, budget and inaugural addresses from governors in Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, and New Mexico. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, State of the State Address, Jan. 15, 2009 "...We should also grow jobs by enacting a green jobs initiative. New opportunities in energy from wind, solar, biomass, biogas, geothermal, biofuels and energy conservation are opening a whole new sector of our economy." Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, Inaugural Address, Jan. 12, 2009 "We'll turn this economy around by making Missouri a magnet for next-generation jobs. We'll invest in new technology. We'll inspire cutting-edge innovation. And we'll embrace science, not fear it. "And not only will we lead with our ideas, we'll also lead with our greatest asset - our people. We must prepare our world-class workers with 21st-Century skills and connect them with the jobs of tomorrow that we will create." Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons, State of the State Address, Jan. 15, 2009 "(M)y 2009 energy bill is designed to…

Tech entrepreneurs in Kansas would lose a long-time independent friend and ally in their efforts to expand the state's economy if the FY10 budget proposed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius passed the state legislature. The governor has proposed many of the functions of KTEC, a program spanning more than two decades as a quasi-public agency developing Kansas' technology-based economic development efforts, would be cut substantially and absorbed by the state Department of Commerce (DOC). In addition, the proposal advanced by Gov. Sebelius eliminates or cuts funding in most other tech-based economic development initiatives funded by the state. Gov. Sebelius unveiled last week her FY10 budget recommendations and revised budget for FY09 based on the most recent revenue estimates that report a gap of more than $900 million. Citing a goal of reducing overhead expenses, the governor recommends eliminating KTEC and Kansas, Inc. as separate agencies and moving select KTEC business development programs to DOC. For FY10, the governor recommends $25.9 million for the DOC from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund (EDIF), which includes $7.5 million for KTEC programs.…

The proposed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, released last week by the House Appropriations Committee, would dramatically increase federal funding for research in several agencies required to participate in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.  The National Science Foundation alone, for example, would receive an additional $3 billion - equal to 50 percent of its FY08 appropriations.  The Department of Energy would get a $2 billion research injection; the National Institutes of Health, a cool $1.5 billion for R&D.  The SBIR program requires the research agencies to award 2.5 percent of their extramural R&D funds to small businesses. So it would seem small tech firms fighting for funds in the highly competitive SBIR arena could see a windfall in the coming months as a result of a Recovery Act. That is, if the 25-year-old SBIR program itself is extended past its current expiration in March 2009. The SBIR program was to sunset Sept. 30 last year as Congress had yet to pass a Reauthorization Act that both chambers could accept and former President Bush would not veto.  The program received a reprieve until March 6…

The South Carolina Centers of Economic Excellence (CoEE) Program, an initiative to recruit star scientists into distinct research clusters at the state's three research universities, has gained $205 million in competitive research awards and non-state matching funds over the program's lifetime - three times the state's distributed investment to date of $66 million. This finding and others regarding the fiscal and employment impact of the initiative was included in a recent outside evaluation of the first five years of the CoEE Program. A handful of states have star researcher or eminent scholar recruitment programs as a component of their state's TBED strategy. Looking at the scale of the CoEE Program, the review finds $180 million in South Carolina Education Lottery proceeds have been directed to the initiative from 2003 to 2008. However, only a third of these funds have been drawn down to date from the state accounts, as the program requires non-state matching funds and funds from the participating universities to be in place before the allocated state money can be transferred. The funding translates into 42 centers of excellence and 74 endowed…

Successful small technology businesses serve as integral components of a robust innovation-based economy. The novel products and services brought to market are often the result of these companies' R&D efforts. As a result, nearly every state has programs and policies in place to support the growth of small tech firms. The importance of these small tech firms to state industrial R&D portfolios varies significantly across states, as measured by percentage of research expenditures conducted by firms with fewer than 500 employees, the Small Business Administration's general definition of a small technology business. Because of this variance, states may wish to review or adapt their TBED strategies. For instance, if the percentage of industrial R&D performed by small businesses is low, a state may wish to implement strategies that encourage more research investment, perhaps in partnership with their research universities and larger industrial firms. A high percentage of total R&D conducted by small firms in a given state, on the other hand, may warrant more aggressive policies and programs that strive to ensure the localized commercial…

Several years of virtually flat and occasionally declining federal funds for the nation's research and economic development communities could end abruptly with passage of an economic recovery plan resembling either proposal released by President-elect Obama or Congressional Democrats. Both call for unprecedented public investments to stimulate the economy out of its worst recession since the Great Depression, while at the same time moving the country dramatically toward a national innovation strategy mirroring the priorities of most state and regional technology-based economic development programs across the country. Democrats control both chambers of Congress and the White House, however, opposition to the size and the nature of some components crosses both sides of the political aisle and as a result changes in the package are likely before passage. Below are several highlights of the incoming Administration's plan, as outlined on its website: http://www.change.gov, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act released this morning by House Appropriations Committee Chair David Obey. (The broadband elements of the Act are discussed in a separate article).…

The House Appropriations Committee version of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act released this morning includes support for improvement to the U.S. digital infrastructure. The proposal calls for significant spending to boost the economy through science and technology. That figure, along with additional spending on energy, small business, and healthcare improvements, includes significant investment in the country's information technology and networking assets. The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act includes $6 billion in spending to upgrade the country's broadband and wireless services, $20 billion for health information technology and $32 billion to improve the nation's power grid. Though the figures may not make it into the final draft, they do indicate that legislators recognize the importance of digital infrastructure spending. A recent report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation suggests that these investments could have a major impact on job creation. In The Digital Road to Recovery: A Stimulus Plan to Create Jobs, Boost Productivity and Revitalize America, the group estimates that a $30 billion stimulus in a…

The second installment of the Tech Talkin' Govs series includes highlights from state of the state, budget and inaugural addresses delivered by the governors of Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oregon and Vermont.  Arizona  Gov. Janet Napolitano, State of the State Address, Jan. 9, 2009 "Arizona must stay on the path toward a greener future..We also must work to limit our greenhouse gas emissions through the Western Climate Initiative, and move forward in building a strong renewable energy sector, particularly with respect to solar energy. The entire nation is going in this direction - and Arizona has much to gain by being a leader." Colorado  Gov. Bill Ritter, State of the State Address, Jan. 8, 2009  "By reviving the Colorado Credit Reserve Program, we can give thousands of small businesses vital access to credit and capital. .. ". By enacting House Bill 1001, the job-creation tax credit I announced last month, we can level the playing field with other states when it comes to attracting new companies and new jobs. ... …

During his presentation of the fiscal year 2009-11 budget last week, Gov. Mitch Daniels said the state's weakening economy will require the suspension of funds for some initiatives supported by his administration. For the TBED community, the governor's proposal delays funds for research aimed at building the state's life sciences portfolio, including elimination of a $20 million Life Sciences Fund at the Indiana School of Medicine and Purdue University and $3 million for the High Growth Business Incentive Fund to encourage high-wage companies to locate or expand in the state. Less than two years ago, Indiana's General Assembly passed a biennial budget that invested more than $100 million in TBED-related programs, capturing national attention for its commitment to programs grounded in science and technology (see the May 7, 2007 issue of the Digest). Today, Indiana's fiscal condition appears quite robust compared with most other states - officials project a $1.3 billion surplus for the current fiscal year. However, the state's budget analysts say anticipated revenue fell more than $33 million below December's forecast and expect sales and individual income tax to…

Facing a $2.3 billion deficit in FY 2010, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has proposed a new financing program to promote small business growth through the current financial crisis. Calling it an Economic Stimulus Plan, the governors.'s proposal will target small Florida-based companies with high-growth potential through direct loans and other support services. By focusing on small businesses, the state can target companies with good prospects for growth with a modest investment of taxpayer dollars, according to the press release accompanying the announcement. The price tag? Only $10 million. An $8.5 million pilot program would provide loans of up to $250,000 per business to cover the cost of capital purchases, employee training and salaries for new jobs. Only Florida-based small businesses with between 10 and 99 employees would be eligible for the loans. Thirty-four of Florida's 67,400* active companies in that size range would receive loans if the modest loan maximum were reached for each project. The loans would carry a two percent interest rate over a period of five years. Gov. Crist believes that the program will help address the lack of capital available to…

Since the SSTI Funding Supplement became a members-only publication in 2006 more than 4,250 funding opportunities have been distributed. In 2008 only, there were more than 1,400 different opportunities for your client companies and university research faculties to secure funding -- if you were an SSTI member. Competition for federal research funding is growing, particularly as program budgets have been relatively flat or declining in recent federal budget cycles. But your tech companies and faculty researchers are at the greatest disadvantage if they aren't even aware of all the opportunities available to them! Don't remain in the dark for 2009. Sign up your organization as one of SSTI's members today to begin your subscription to the Funding Supplement. A few of the more than 100 opportunities provided in December include: The Department of Energy released its 2009 Nuclear Energy University R&D Program solicitation. Eligibility is restricted to U.S. institutions of higher education. Research must fall under the following program areas: 1) Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative; 2) Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative (Next Generation Nuclear…

Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, (NREL) the nation's primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development, is looking for an NREL Licensing Executive. Primary responsibilities include evaluating early stage energy inventions for commercial potential, seeking promising markets for NREL technologies, directing the NREL commercialization strategy. The Licensing Executive will take charge of all licensing for NREL. Requirements include a master's degree in science and/or engineering, or equivalent relevant education/experience and at least five years of relevant experience. This position posted by the Vortechs Group. Pennsylvania State University, College of Engineering, invites applications for the Director of the Engineering Entrepreneurship Minor, a highly visible position within the School of Engineering Design, Technology, and Professional Programs at University Park. The Director's responsibilities will include teaching, advising, research, and providing leadership on key goals including expansion of the program…