SSTI Digest

The Oregon Innovation Council (Oregon InC), which spent a year reviewing how best to expand the state’s economy by leveraging industry-supported initiatives with public investments, may get to see the toils of its labor come to fruition. Gov. Ted Kulongoski released earlier this month his 2007-09 budget, with full support for the innovation plan put out by Oregon InC. Oregon InC, a private-public statewide advisory council created by the 2005 legislature, had proposed $38.2 million for investment in industry and research initiatives to increase productivity and generate innovative technologies (see the Oct. 2, 2006 issue of the Digest). The governor's budget includes full funding for the council's proposals, including: Continued investment in Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute, the state’s first signature research center focused on nanotechnology and microtechnology ($10 million); Development of the nation’s first commercial-scale wave energy park, building on the wave energy research already conducted at Oregon State University ($5.2 million); and, Enhanced training and R&D resources in value-added manufacturing…

John Tortorici is retiring as president of the Software Association of Oregon.

The Open Technology Business Center, a Beaverton, Ore.-based incubator, has named Steve Morris as its third executive director.

Complete descriptions of the position openings described below are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm. The University of Texas Health Science Center (HSC) at San Antonio is seeking someone to serve assistant vice president for technology transfer. This position reports to the vice president for research and is responsible for oversight, supervision, management, and coordination of activities within the Office of the Vice President for Research related to technology transfer and economic development activities of the HSC. This includes supervision of the Office of Technology Ventures, value creation activities, such as marketing, licensing, new company start-ups, financial valuation, business alliances, internal and external investment in technology development and dealing with highly specialized contract issues regarding sponsored research, collaboration, Bayh-Dole compliance, patent prosecution, materials transfer, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, and internal controls. The Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD) is recruiting to fill the position of innovation and economic…

Gov. Ted Kulongoski last month signed Senate Bill 838, creating the Oregon Innovation Council to provide him and the legislature with advice regarding business innovation in order to strengthen competitiveness in global markets. The council will include representatives from industry, education and government. In addition, the bill recognizes the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI) as the state's first Signature Research Center and appropriates $7 million for operations and leveraging of private and federal funds. According to the governor's office, every state dollar invested into ONAMI delivers a $30 return through private investment. Among its key tasks, the council will work to increase Oregon universities' role in driving economic growth. The council will provide advice on enhancing educational programs for engineering, science and technology. Another primary goal is identifying and addressing business development issues in key industry sectors such as early-stage funding and entrepreneurial capacity. Gov. Kulongoski also signed Senate…

The Oregon Legislature overwhelmingly passed S.B. 853 last week, creating venture development funds to facilitate technology commercialization for students and faculty at the state's seven public universities. Under the legislation, revenue for the newly created funds will come from donors who, in turn, receive credit on their state income tax returns. The development funds will use capital raised through university foundations to bridge the gap between an idea and the point where private investors become interested. Bill sponsor Frank Morse (R-Albany) said the program will have minimal impact on state revenue and will not cost the state money that would be spent on vital state services. Universities that license the inventions are required to return 20 percent of the royalty and licensing fees to the state treasury until the tax credit is recaptured. Proponents say the program has the potential to return millions as companies reimburse the state to cover the cost of credits and create jobs. Purposes of the fund are to provide: …

Commercialized research and Oregon's first signature research center are among those initiatives slated for funding in the governor's 2005-07 proposed biennial budget for the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD). Gov. Ted Kulongoski's recommended budget, the "Oregon Principles," is centered around six core principles for targeted investments to deliver a strong return on taxpayer dollars. Gov. Kulongoski recommended $18.4 million in 2005-07 General Fund support for OECDD, a slight increase from the $18.1 million 2003-05 approved budget. Also included is $9 million from the Lottery Fund for a pre-seed or "proof of concept" fund for commercializing research into business ventures through the newly established Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnology Institute (ONAMI). The fund would be available to businesses with fewer than 100 employees. Michelle Godfrey, communications manager for OECDD, said the goal is to increase collaboration among institutions of higher education and high-tech companies. By investing this modest amount into ONAMI, the state will be able to leverage more private…

Arundeep Pradhan is the new director of the Office of Technology and Research Collaborations at the Oregon Health and Science University. Pradhan was the head of technology transfer for the Colorado State University Research Foundation.

The Oregon Council on Knowledge and Economic Development (OCKED) is set to present its official report to the governor and the 2003 State Legislature. Outlining several key economic development policy and funding recommendations, the council addresses several short-term and long-term strategies for enhancing Oregon’s economic competitiveness in a knowledge-based global economy. In preparing its report, OCKED focused its efforts on three areas that drive quality job growth and economic development. These areas – research and technology transfer, capital and business formation, and knowledge and workforce development – entail additional specific initiatives: increasing the capacity for high-quality research and development (R&D) and translating that research into commercial applications; increasing the value and economic benefit of research and technology transfer; increasing the amount of pre-seed, seed and institutional venture capital available to emerging businesses, especially in the technology and bioscience sectors; developing programs and incentives to deepen…

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) is joining Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) as co-chair of the monthly Congressional Forum on Technology and Innovation.

Economic development in Oregon recently has been given new life, thanks to the approval of $222 million in bills by Governor John Kitzhaber. The legislation, including $72 million for high-tech infrastructure and research over the next two years, is expected to increase public investment in biotechnology, engineering and other research. On August 8, the Governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 832 to dedicate approximately $32 million per biennium of National Tobacco Settlement funding for the construction of facilities such as research labs, which will take advantage of information generated by Human Genome Project. Gov. Kitzhaber also approved $20 million to improve engineering education and increase the number of engineering graduates and another $20 million for construction of a new building for engineering education, signing SB 5524 and SB 5525 — the appropriations bill for the Oregon University System and the Oregon University System Capital Construction Budget, respectively. Additional bills receiving the Governor's signature are below: SB 273 to create the Oregon…