SSTI Digest

How Should TBED Adjust to the Changing Face of U.S. Industry? Join your peers and colleagues from around the country at SSTI's annual conference to discuss the trends described in "Whither U.S. Industry" (see story above) and other critical issues. More information is available at http://www.ssti.org/conference06.htm.

SSTI is pleased to give regular Digest readers the first peek at a PDF version http://www.ssti.org/Conf06/brochure.pdf of the brochure for SSTI's 10th Annual Conference, Transforming Regional Economies, to be held in Oklahoma City on October 31- November 2, 2006. A quick glance at the brochure reveals why the event is the premier professional development experience of the year for the tech-based economic development (TBED) community. The brochure includes: The full conference agenda with a keynote address focusing on the role of the media transforming regional economies; 23 breakout sessions covering the most important issues for today's TBED practitioner, drawing session presenters, panelists and participants from the country's top organizations; Descriptions of our four optional pre-conference workshops, including the inside story of how Oklahoma City has transformed itself; A glimpse into why Oklahoma City offers the perfect setting for the nation's leading TBED conference; Brief introductions to our conference hosts and national sponsors - among the leading thinkers and practitioners for transforming regional economies…

For the third year, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) has been named the nations most active source of early-stage or angel capital. TEDCO leads the list of the 100 top venture capital firms, based on the quarterly MoneyTree survey published by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Thomson Venture Economics and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). The 2005 list appears in the July issue of Entrepreneur magazine. Each venture capital firm on the list reported at least three deals in 2005. Because of ties, this years ranking includes 120 firms. Maryland TEDCO improved on its figure of 15 deals in 2004 to fund 23 early-stage firms. TEDCO bucked the national trend, which showed the number of initial venture capital deals dropping significantly. Entrepreneur reports the total number of companies that won initial capital fell from 654 in 2004 to 608 last year. On average, these companies received $4.8 million, for a total of $2.9 billion. Both figures are at their highest point in four years. Five organizations on the list managed to complete more than 10 deals last year. California…

The rate of R&D investment by U.S. majority-owned affiliates performed outside of the U.S. increased twice as much as R&D performed within the U.S. from 1998 to 2003, as more countries around the world increased their R&D tax credits relative to those offered by the U.S. In a recent paper by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), The Research and Experimentation Tax Credit: A Critical Policy Tool for Boosting Research and Enhancing U.S. Economic Competitiveness, Dr. Robert Atkinson makes the case for why the Research and Experimentation Tax Credit should be extended and expanded by the U.S. Congress.   When the Research and Experimentation Tax Credit was created in 1981, it was the most generous credit offered by any nation in the OECD. Over the years, additional countries offered more and more financial incentives to attract R&D activities. As a result, in 2004 the U.S. dropped to the 17th most generous OECD nation to offer R&D tax credits.   Atkinson cites a variety of recent studies that illustrate, at a minimum, the credit produces at least one dollar of research for every…

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has awarded its second Kauffman Prize Medal for Distinguished Research in Entrepreneurship to Professor Toby Stuart of the Harvard Business School. The medal is given every two years to a scholar under the age of 40 whose research has made a significant contribution to the study of entrepreneurship and innovation. Stuart accepted the medal last month, along with a cash award of $50,000, at the Academy of Management's annual meeting in Atlanta. At the ceremony, the Kauffman Foundation cited Professor Stuart's pioneering research on social networks and their effect on entrepreneurship as an example of outstanding contribution to the field. Stuart's latest research suggests that entrepreneurs must be perceived positively within their local entrepreneurship community in order to create successful new firms. As a service to those Digest readers who do not regularly review the latest academic research in the field, SSTI offers the follow summaries of a selected set of Professor Stuart's most recent articles: "When Do Scientists Become Entrepreneurs? The Social…

SSTI is pleased to announce four new appointments to our board of trustees: Mike Cassidy, president of the Georgia Research Alliance, a partnership of six research universities and the business community working with state government to nurture the growth and development of Georgia's technology sector; Michael Finney, president and chief executive officer of Ann Arbor SPARK, a public-private partnership that works to advance innovation-based economic development in the greater Ann Arbor region; Angie Godwin, president of the Area Development Partnership, a regional economic development organization and chamber of commerce in south central Mississipppi; and, Bruce Mehlman, partner of Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti Inc. and executive director of the Technology CEO Council, a leading information technology association. The four appointees will join SSTI's existing eight board members in providing strategic guidance and oversight for the organization's 37 state sponsors and 114 affiliates and supporters. Representation of these sponsors, affiliates and supporters - or SSTI members - ranges fom state and local tech-based economic…

The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development is seeking a qualified, energetic, collaborative person to serve as director of its Office of Innovation. The Office of Innovation seeks to advance Maine's economic well-being and to expand employment opportunities by encouraging and coordinating the state's R&D activities and fostering collaboration among its higher educational and nonprofit research institutions and the business community. A four-year degree; experience in science, engineering, technology and/or business; and experience in the management of organizations that innovate, commercialize and deploy technology are among this position's minimum requirements. More information on this opportunity is available through the SSTI Job Corner at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

The Idaho Falls-based Partnership for Science and Technology selected M. Lane Allgood as its new executive director. Indiana Economic Development Corp. President Mickey Maurer will resign at the end of 2006, fulfilling his pledge to Gov. Mitch Daniels to serve two years. Michael Relyea has been named executive director of New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation, the public benefit authority that oversees the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR). Dr. Russell Bessette, executive director of NYSTAR, will serve as chief science advisor for the foundation and its board. Dr. Raymond Taylor has joined the Southern Growth Policies Board leadership team as senior fellow and director of the organization's Council on the New Economy Workforce. The Kansas Bioscience Authority named Thomas Thornton as its first president and CEO. Dr. Janet Yancey-Wrona left her post as director of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development's Office of Innovation to join a new…

The Idaho Falls-based Partnership for Science and Technology selected M. Lane Allgood as its new executive director.

Indiana Economic Development Corp. President Mickey Maurer will resign at the end of 2006, fulfilling his pledge to Gov. Mitch Daniels to serve two years.

Michael Relyea has been named executive director of New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation, the public benefit authority that oversees the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR). Dr. Russell Bessette, executive director of NYSTAR, will serve as chief science advisor for the foundation and its board.

Dr. Raymond Taylor has joined the Southern Growth Policies Board leadership team as senior fellow and director of the organization's Council on the New Economy Workforce.