SSTI Digest

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently unveiled four energy initiatives to promote clean energy R&D and the use of renewable energy technologies in the state. Through a combination of executive orders and legislative proposals, the programs are intended to push Minnesota towards its goals of having 25 percent of the state’s energy come from renewable sources by 2025 and reducing the state’s greenhouse emissions 80 percent by 2050. These new initiatives are: The Clean Energy Technology Collaborative – Created by Executive Order 08-04, the Collaborative is a 15-member group appointed by the governor that will develop a roadmap identifying the most promising R&D steps Minnesota should take to advance the use of green technologies. Committee members will be comprised of representatives from Minnesota’s universities, business members, and other individuals who have significant knowledge and experience in clean energy R&D. The Minnesota Office of Energy Security – Executive Order 08-03 establishes this Office within the state’s Department of Commerce, which will function as the entity within Minnesota state government that coordinates state policy,…

Referring to his fiscal year 2008-09 budget recommendation as “back to basics,” Gov. Phil Bredesen proposed significant investments in research and workforce initiatives while vowing not to tap into reserves or raise taxes.   Earlier this week during his State of the State Address, Gov. Bredesen unveiled his ambitious budget proposal, which includes a total investment of $30.5 million in workforce initiatives. The Department of Economic and Community Development is slated to receive $29.3 million for the governor’s Next Steps Jobs strategy – $25.3 million for the FastTrack Infrastructure Development Program and Job Training Assistance and $4 million for business development. Additionally, $1.2 million – the same level as last year – is recommended for the Rural Opportunity Fund, a public-private partnership implementing a small business loan program targeted to small, minority and women-owned businesses in rural parts of the state.   To provide training grants to employers in order to create and retain high-skill, high-wage jobs in emerging fields, the governor recommends $9.3 million from the Special Revenue Fund…

The fourth installment of the Tech Talkin’ Govs series includes excerpts from governors’ speeches delivered in Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.   Georgia – see article in this issue of the Digest.   Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, State Budget Address, Jan. 29, 2008 “I recommend a $60 million bond authorization for a new round of ‘Bucks for Brains.’ … This program has attracted and retained some of the brightest faculty and research teams in the nation. In times like these, we simply must invest in the future. …   “… It is time to revitalize our economic development efforts, and as chair of the Economic Development Partnership Board, I will work with the Secretary of that cabinet to review and revise our strategy, giving it a new focus on the entire state and on twenty-first century jobs.”   Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, State of the Commonwealth Address, Jan. 24, 2008 “On the jobs front, let’s both advance human healing and add another 250,000 jobs over the next decade…

Ten to forty percent of entrepreneurs launching businesses in high-income countries expect that more than a quarter of their customers will come from outside of their country, according to a new study of trends in global entrepreneurship.   The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), a report prepared annually by researchers from Babson College and London Business School, provides insight into international entrepreneurship trends and the factors that influence the rate of new business creation. This year’s edition dedicates particular attention to the national regulatory environments and other policy-based factors that encourage entrepreneurs. It also provides a glimpse into the increasingly global nature of entrepreneurship.   New business formation rates demonstrate a U-shaped pattern across countries of varying levels of average income. Early-stage activity tends to be high in countries with low per capita gross domestic product (GDP), and then declines in middle-income nations. The figure then rises again for high-income countries such as the U.S., which continues to have one of the highest entrepreneurship levels…

Considerable changes are affecting the structure of traditional manufacturing supply chains, and firms that do not adapt to these shifts will suffer economically, according to a recent report from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Forging New Partnerships: How to Thrive in Today’s Global Value Chain provides information about specific programs and organizations, as well as suggestions and best practices, that may improve the difficulties small and medium manufacturers (SMMs) face as both their competitive markets and internal management needs are changing.   The report is the second release in NAM’s Small and Medium Manufacturers Series. The first report identified the challenges facing SMMs in the 21st century (see the March 6, 2006 issue of the Digest). Small manufacturers are considered to have less than 500 employees, and medium-sized manufacturers have between 500 and 2000 employees. Together, these two groups account for 99 percent of all manufacturers and 40 percent of U.S. production value.   Forging New Partnerships looks deeper into the evolving relationships between manufacturing suppliers,…

Using data from the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, SSTI has prepared a table showing how each state (and the District of Columbia) has ranked in business churning over the past seven years. Business churning is a measure of the creation of new companies and the death of existing companies as a share of total firms (small businesses with employees). Churning increases as the number of new start-ups and existing business failures per year increase. A high level of business churning can be a major driver of innovation and growth, since it can indicate the presence of entrepreneurial activity and the transition to new industries.   Over this period, Nevada, Utah and Washington have consistently occupied the top three spots, though they have traded places. Colorado and Arkansas have shown the most relative improvement, with Arkansas rising from 50th in 2000 to 16th in 2006. Maryland, Idaho and Tennessee were also consistent top performers.   South Dakota, Ohio, Connecticut and Wisconsin, on the other hand, continue to occupy the bottom tier. California fell from fifth place to 32nd over this same period.…

It is only through the involvement of the each and every one of our more than 185 members that SSTI is able to continue its mission -- to lead, support and strengthen efforts to improve state and regional economies through science, technology and innovation. Together, we’re growing a strong and vibrant tech-based economic development community. New members include: State Sponsors Kansas Bioscience Authority Oklahoma Department of Commerce Affiliates California State University, Office of Tech Transfer & Commercialization George Mason University, Office of Research Development Institute for Triple Helix Innovation Luther Forest Technology Campus Murray State University, Regional Business and Innovation Center New Jersey Institute of Technology, Enterprise Development Center The Northeastern Pennsylvania Technology Institute Ohio State University, Technology Licensing & Commercialization Ohio Supercomputing Center…

A complete description of this opportunities and others is available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a director to lead the Industrial and Economic Development efforts for ORNL’s Partnerships Directorate. The incumbent will develop and execute a new Industrial Partnerships strategy, interface with the region’s economic development professionals to maximize ORNL’s contributions to regional economic growth, lead ORNL’s entrepreneurial efforts, and perform other responsibilities. A bachelor’s degree in general business, planning, marketing or a related field and at least 10 years of senior experience involving a combination of community, technology and economic development marketing and recruitment are required. A master’s degree is preferred.

Last week, Gov. Eliot Spitzer gave New York’s first ever “State of the Upstate” address in Buffalo, outlining his administration’s $1 billion Upstate Revitalization Fund. Among the components intended to encourage economic growth in the northern part of the state are: $350 million for a Regional Blueprint Fund to construct development-ready sites and industrial parks, to provide loans for small businesses and to create an international marketing office for the Upstate. $10 million from the Blueprint Fund will be used to provide seed capital for 10-15 small companies. $115 million for new Upstate City-to-City Projects, which include $25 million for the University of Rochester’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Syracuse’s Connective Corridor. $100 million for an Investment Opportunity Fund, designed to be a competitive grant program administered by the Empire State Development Corporation. $50 million for an Agricultural Development Fund, a portion of which will be used to promote alternative fuel products in the state. $12 million to expand existing state programs that encourage high-technology development. $7 million to enlarge the state’s…

With a budget management plan for the current fiscal year making its way through the state legislature, Gov. Janet Napolitano announced increased funding and borrowing for university programs and research initiatives in her fiscal year 2009 budget recommendation. Universities would receive a net funding increase of $25.4 million over the FY08 appropriation under the governor’s recommendation, including $7 million to recruit, teach and retain teachers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics areas. Gov. Napolitano recommends $3 million in FY09 to the University of Arizona (UA) and $2 million each to Arizona State University-Tempe and Northern Arizona University to expand on a student loan program for math, science and special education teachers approved by lawmakers last year (see the June 27, 2007 issue of the Digest). Additionally, UA’s budget includes $1.5 million to expand and implement programs for teacher training, entrepreneurship and commerce- and defense security-related disciplines that will meet the workforce needs of the southern parts of the state. Lawmakers will be asked to approve a $470 million bond…

Funding for several TBED-focused initiatives aimed at increasing the state’s biotech portfolio is prominent in Gov. Martin O’Malley’s fiscal year 2009 budget proposal. Under the recommendation, stem cell research, biotechnology and nanotechnology are targeted for investments to grow the state’s economy, building on the actions of the 2007 legislative session (see the April 16, 2007 issue of the Digest).   Gov. O’Malley unveiled his FY09 budget last week, recommending $23 million for the Stem Cell Research Fund. The fund – in its second year of existence – supports stem cell R&D at Maryland research universities and private sector research institutions and is administered by the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO). TEDCO is slated to receive $27.8 million in FY09 total funds – a slight decrease from the FY08 appropriation.   The governor’s recommendation for the Department of Business and Economic Development is $145.5 million, an increase of 17.7 percent above the FY08 appropriation. The recommendation includes $6 million to provide tax credits to encourage investment in biotechnology firms and $2.4…

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius delivered her State of the State Address last week proposing new initiatives and continued funding for several TBED programs emphasizing education and innovation as key to the state’s future economy. Gov. Sebelius announced a proposal to create the Kansas Innovation Consortium, comprised of leaders from business, higher education, and state and local officials charged with advising the governor on research and education priorities for the state to achieve an innovation-based economy. The consortium also would develop specific strategies for investing in innovation and entrepreneurship and develop metrics to measure innovation and determine if the strategy is successful. The governor is requesting $150,000 from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund (EDIF) for start-up costs associated with the new group. Beginning with education, Gov. Sebelius said that high-quality teachers are critical to retaining more scientists, engineers and skilled technicians for the Kansas workforce. Therefore, the governor’s fiscal year 2009 budget recommendation includes $1 million for a new teaching scholarship program in…