SSTI Digest

Keeping with the underlying theme of "Where Does TBED Go from Here?" for SSTI's 12th Annual Conference, David Wilhelm, founder and President of Woodland Venture Management, will provide the keynote address on the topic of making successful VC investments anywhere. Woodland Venture Management is a company dedicated to the proposition that entrepreneurial vision and managerial talent may be found anywhere, including the hills of central Appalachia and the prairies of the Midwest. To this end, Mr. Wilhelm launched Adena Ventures and Hopewell Ventures, with a combined $140 million under management, bringing investment capital to high-growth companies situated in these underserved regions of the country. Today, these VC funds have invested millions of dollars in companies located in communities such as Marquette, Mich.; Nelsonville, Ohio; Charleston, W.Va.; and Lansing, Ill., creating hundreds of jobs for the people who live there and the prospect of strong returns for the investors that backed the basic Woodland premise: The flip side of a capital gap is a market opportunity!   Earlier in his career, Mr. Wilhelm led a number of enterprises that…

SSTI will be holding its first poster session dedicated entirely to celebrating why states, regions, universities and related organizations engage in TBED. Our goal is to have the best achievements in the field on display as posters at the conference. Each poster will profile a real success story providing hard evidence of how TBED investments are sustaining the nation’s position as a global leader for innovation and competitiveness – one local or regional project at a time. Poster session information can be found at: http://www.ssticonference.org/Conf08/posters.htm   Join us for the Presentation of the 2008 Excellence in TBED Awards, Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 1:10 p.m. in The Founder’s Ballroom. The second annual awards ceremony promises an exhilarating showcase of best practices across six categories. The celebration continues post ceremony with dedicated breakout sessions during the conference when six innovative organizations will reveal their secrets to success in presentations sure to inspire. For more information on the Excellence in TBED Awards, visit: http://www.ssti.org/Awards/overview.htm

Join fellow SSTI conference attendees for an opening reception at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland. Just like the music it pays homage to, inside and out, the Rock Hall exudes coolness. In addition to celebrating the opening of SSTI’s annual conference, we will be joined by Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher, director of the Ohio Department of Development to mark the 25th anniversary of Ohio’s Thomas Edison Program and the state’s sustained investment in a broader set of TBED strategies and programs.   The opening reception promises to be a wonderful pre-conference opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and network with conference attendees, speakers, and our local hosts over delicious cuisine, drinks, and light music. The opening reception is made possible by the support of more than a dozen Ohio TBED organizations.

Crisp, clean air, blue waters and autumn leaves are just a few reasons why fall is the best time to visit Northeast Ohio. Cleveland was ranked as the number one “Most Livable City” in the U.S. by the Economist in 2005, primarily because it has all the benefits of a major city without sacrificing quality of life. Cleveland+ is home to major research institutions and healthcare organizations; major league sports teams; world-class cultural institutions; and great museums and entertainment attractions. Also considered an up-and-coming food destination, Cleveland offers some of the best, elegant, unique and casual fare around. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to network and meet a few new friends over dinner. SSTI is organizing a dine-around Cleveland with small group reservations being held at several exclusive establishments around the city. Sign up at the conference registration desk. More information on Cleveland events is available at: http://www.ssticonference.org/Conf08/cleveland.htm

SSTI conference “regulars” know that this event is the field’s most stimulating and rewarding professional development investment one can make. Each year’s agenda provides new perspectives and approaches to dealing with common problems, new issues and the latest trends and challenges facing your efforts to encourage regional innovation. You can expect: In-depth examinations of some of the best state and regional approaches to cultivate a bright economic future. Unparalleled networking with the right people within the tech-based economic development community. Stimulating dialogue and thought-provoking exchange between great thinkers, old friends and new peers from across the country. Renewed energy and personal resolve to address the challenges of strengthening your state or local economy. A great social networking opportunity enjoying the vibrancy of all Cleveland has to offer. This year, SSTI is adding even more elements, making it the most complete and complex conference yet. You won’t want to miss out on our new networking, entertainment and wellness events: National Innovation Reception – An annual highlight of the…

SSTI’s 12th Annual Conference is made possible by the support of our lead host sponsor, NorTech, a team of Ohio co-hosts, and the generous support of our national conference sponsors. SSTI extends its appreciation and thanks to the following exemplary organizations serving as our national sponsors: Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation Greater Oklahoma City Chamber GSP Consulting National Centers of Excellence (NCOE) Ben Franklin Technology Partners Georgia Research Alliance Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development Maine Technology Institute (MTI) Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) North Carolina Board of Science and Technology Ohio Department of Development Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Washington Technology Center ASME Center for Engineering Entrepreneurship & Innovation Battelle Economic Modeling Specialists Inc. (EMSI) Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) Lytmos Group Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Ohio Supercomputer Center New Economy Strategies, LLC Technology Innovation Program (TIP) The Trent Lott National Center of Excellence for Economic Development…

Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm. The KTEC Pipeline is seeking a program director to work with its president to help sustain the KTEC Pipeline fellowship program and related entrepreneurial programming. This position assists the president in many areas, including cirriculum development, finanicial organization, program tracking, sponsorships, publications, alumini programming and outreach, mentor programming, and presenter/speaker recruitment. A bachelor’s degree and three years of experience in one of the following fields is required: entrepreneurial ventures, finance, program management, or public policy related to entrepreneurship or economic development. The University of Missouri System is seeking someone to serve as assistant vice president for research and economic development. This position is responsible for promoting the commercialization of intellectual property and products of faculty discovery, innovation and development and working closely with the vice president for research and economic development to identify research results that can promote innovation and…

Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is seeking someone to serve as its manager of business and community services. This position is responsible for oversight of staff that administers several state and federal incentive programs to assist in the growth of Michigan companies and the creation of jobs, including Economic Development Job Training, Renaissance Zone and Community Development Block Grant Programs. A bachelor’s degree in any major is required. In addition, candidates should have two years of experience as a professional manager or program/staff specialist, or equivalent experience. The Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD) is recruiting to fill the position of innovation policy analyst in its Innovation and Economic Strategies Division. The primary purpose of this position is to support the development and execution of an Oregon Innovation Plan that identifies economic development recommendations to grow the state’s knowledge-based economy. A bachelor's degree in business or public administration,…

Texas Gov. Rick Perry's Competitiveness Council has released its recommendations following a year-long study of the state challenges in the global economy. The study found that Texas lacks the institutional organization to execute transformational economic programs and will require greater collaboration between state agencies to remain competitive in high-tech industries. Part of this collaboration would be the creation of a standard enterprise model for economic development in the state. Since Texas' economic developments efforts have been characterized by disparate regional programs and narrowly-focused state programs, the state lacks a unifying model of how companies are created and prosper, the council felt. This has adversely impacted economic development initiatives, which have been plagued by a lack of standard performance metrics, redundancy and a single statewide strategy that could guide decisions made within organizations. By designing such a model and implementing a joint-operations approach between economic development organizations and agencies, Texas could improve its ability to successfully implement change. The report's lengthy list of…

Most Digest readers know access to equity capital serves a critical role in encouraging regional innovation. But the stats on venture capital (VC) deals demonstrates all too well that money isn't flowing freely everywhere. The economy also is presenting challenges for equity deals, making exits more scarce. How can underserved areas attract early-, seed and late-stage capital? Keeping with the underlying theme of "Where Does TBED Go from Here?" for SSTI's 12th annual conference, we are quite excited to announce David Wilhelm, founder and President of Woodland Venture Management, will provide the keynote address on the topic of making successful VC investments anywhere. Woodland Venture Management is a company dedicated to the proposition that entrepreneurial vision and managerial talent may be found anywhere, including the hills of central Appalachia and the prairies of the Midwest. To this end, Mr. Wilhelm launched Adena Ventures and Hopewell Ventures, with a combined $140 million under management, bringing investment capital to high-growth companies situated in these underserved regions of the country. Today, these VC funds have invested millions of…

Entrepreneurship education courses continue to appear across the country. A large-scale commitment was announced recently, as eight Arkansas two-year colleges will offer degrees and certificates in entrepreneurship this fall. The broad availability is expected to help create a culture of entrepreneurship that extends from regions capitalizing in the emerging fields of bioscience and nanotechnology research to the rural pockets of the state in need of high-paying jobs.   Last month, the curriculum was approved by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, prompting eight of the state’s 22 community and technical colleges to join a consortium with two additional schools seeking approval in October to begin implementing the curriculum. The degree option is for an Applied Associates Degree in Business Management or a stand-alone certificate in Entrepreneurship.   While some areas of the state are home to large Fortune 500 companies, including Wal-Mart in Bentonville and Tyson Foods in Springdale, other regions are unlikely to attract big corporations that provide jobs, said Donna Wood, associate vice president of global business…

Gazelles, a small subset of firms that grow rapidly over a period of years, are believed by many to have a disproportionate impact on the U.S. economy. Though the precise definition of gazelle firms differs between studies, these businesses are recognized as a dominant force in economic and employment growth. A recent paper by Zoltan Acs, Wiliam Parsons and Spencer Tracy, published by the Small Business Administration's (SBA's) Office of Advocacy, confirms this belief by finding that a very small percentage of firms are responsible for almost all revenue employment growth in the U.S. These high-growth firms can exist in any industry, but on average, they are younger than the average business. Still, the average age for a high-growth firm is 25 years, older than the nascent businesses that are the focus of much TBED activity and regional growth strategies. The study suggests that regional and state policymakers should follow a balanced approach that supports both new and expanding businesses. The SBA paper builds on research done by David Birch, who developed the concept of gazelle firms in the 1980s and 1990s. Birch defined gazelles as businesses that grow their…