SSTI Digest

In another illustration of how women’s participation in the tech industry continues to lag, SmartAsset recently released its annual report looking at Best Cities for Women in Tech. The report finds country-wide, the percentage of women in STEM is growing, but that growth is occurring at a dwindling rate, and that women make up only about 20% of the field’s total workforce. Detroit, Michigan, has the highest percentage of women tech workers (41.7%), according to SmartAsset. Irvine, California, was cited as having the lowest percentage (18.9%) of women tech workers. The report shared statistics for women’s participation in STEM in other cities as it relates to the industry growth with that area and their income. The U.S. Census Bureau adds more to the picture, reporting that from 1970 to 2019, women’s participation in the U.S. workforce had risen by 10 percentage points, from 38% to 48%, while in the STEM fields, this proportion increased from 8% to 27%. While these numbers reflected gains for women in STEM, in 2019, the report stated that most of the gains were in math and social sciences, and those areas don’t comprise the majority of the STEM workforce. Most STEM…

The National Institute of Standards of Technology (NIST) is seeking public input through Requests for Information (RFIs) for two programs under the CHIPS Act. Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio refers to the U.S.’s leadership role in semiconductor manufacturing as “critically important to our prosperity and national security” as they are key components in artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Locasio notes that in order to achieve this, America needs a “whole-of-nation” approach, justifying the two RFIs under different CHIPS programs.  The CHIPS for America initiative involves two main components: the provision of financial incentives to encourage investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing, and the establishment of collaborative networks for research and innovation that will ensure an enduring technological edge. The CHIPS Incentive Program RFI seeks input on the design and implementation of incentive programs, including grants, loans and loan guarantees to ensure that they contribute to private sector investments and knowledge identifying significant supply chain bottlenecks…

Between federal interest rates over 3% and post-pandemic economic impacts that affect macroeconomic trends, many have predicted a continued decline in venture capital outcomes, only some of which has held true through Q3.  Overall deal counts were higher than anticipated, according to the most recent PitchBook Venture Monitor that covers Quarter 3. The report captures 11,871 deals so far in 2022 (with another 1,765 that PitchBook estimates to have occurred but have not yet been formally identified) with a total value of $194.9 billion. Both deal activity and value would be a decline from the historic high of 2021 but on track to exceed all other years since 2012.  The report shows a significant decrease in both angel and seed deal counts, but the decrease in seed deal counts is less severe as compared to angel deal counts. Angel deal value has also decreased, likely as a result of the decline in deal count. However, seed deal value continues to stay relatively high, beating every year except 2021 since 2012. Angel deal value is $0.6 billion, compared to $1 billion in 2021.  Of states that had at least 100 deals (which…

The U.S. National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program has revised the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Type-2 NSF Engines program proposals, moving the deadline up to Jan. 18, 2023, among other changes, which are detailed in the revised BAA and key related resource documents that were published on Oct. 17, 2022. NSF added new preparation and content requirements, along with requirements for a Region of Service map and Mandatory Disclosure document. The NSF Engines is a new program intended to foster innovation ecosystems across the U.S. through partnerships across industry, academia, government, nonprofits, and others. More information is available here.

In a move to strengthen the domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), announced $2.8 billion for 20 companies in 12 states to extract and process battery materials and manufacture components while creating good-paying jobs. The projects will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will be matched by recipients to leverage more than $9 billion for the production of clean energy. DOE reports that the funding is the first phase of $7 billion in total provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to strengthen the domestic battery supply chain by supporting upstream materials processing to create the precursor materials for batteries. Additional funding opportunities are expected to be forthcoming to continue to fill gaps in and strengthen the domestic battery supply chain.  Of the 20 companies selected, five will build new facilities in disadvantaged communities, and 15 in locations adjacent to disadvantaged communities. President Biden also announced the launch of the American Battery Material Initiative, an effort to align federal investments and activities, domestic and…

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) recently announced its largest POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative funding package. This funding package awards nearly $47 million to 52 projects in 181 counties to support economic diversification and mitigate job losses from coal-related industries in Appalachian communities.  The $47 million investment will support new and existing industries like agriculture, tourism, and entrepreneurship and invest in workforce development and skills training programs to counteract the negative impacts of the declining coal industry. These projects are largely successful, according to an evaluation from Chamberlin/Dunn, which found that many projects funded by the POWER Initiative exceeded output targets and that ARC’s investments have helped create or retain over 39,600 jobs. This announcement marks the second award announcement for the ARC POWER Initiative this year. The first took place in March 2022 and awarded almost $21 million to POWER projects. With both announcements, the ARC POWER Initiative has funded nearly $68 million worth of projects in FY 2022. Since the…

SSTI is pleased to announce a new project with the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to build a Community of Practice focused on EDA’s important technology-based economic development (TBED) investment priority area. This new partnership will help regions across the entire country become more resilient, more equitable, and more competitive in the global innovation-centered economy. SSTI and EDA’s shared mission for this community is to improve the impacts, outcomes and effectiveness of EDA’s strategic investments in local and regional capacity to support science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. “Technology is changing the face of the global economy and technology-based economic development is among EDA’s key investment priorities,” said Alejandra Y. Castillo, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development in a statement announcing the award. “The TBED CoP will advance an ideal synthesis of vision and practice to foster entrepreneurship and catalyze innovation.” EDA’s four-year investment and collaboration with SSTI will enable the nation’s TBED community to grow in new ways, extending the benefits of the innovation economy…

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced 11 additional states whose SSBCI plans have been approved: Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, and Utah. This is in addition to the 20 states that have been approved this year: California, Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, West Virginia, Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Colorado, Montana, New York, North Carolina and Oregon. Funds aim to make capital more accessible for underserved communities and increase economic growth and opportunity. Alaska has been approved to receive $59.9 million across four state programs. The largest program of the four is the Alaska Loan Guarantee Program, which will receive $32 million and aims to provide funding to small businesses that have decreased revenue, according to Alaska’s News Source. In addition to the loan guarantee program, $15.9 million will be allocated toward a loan participation program, $10 million will go towards an equity and venture capital program and $2 million will be allocated to a collateral fund program. Idaho has been approved for…

Creating a vison for United States leadership in advanced manufacturing, the National Science and Technology Council has released a strategy to grow the economy, create jobs, enhance environmental sustainability, address climate change, strengthen supply chains, ensure national security, and improve healthcare for the next four years. The 2022 National Strategy for Advanced Manufacturing, developed by the Subcommittee on Advanced Manufacturing (SAM), provides a number of recommendations to help achieve those goals. The strategy report outlines three interrelated goals: 1) Develop and implement advanced manufacturing technologies; 2) Grow the advanced manufacturing workforce; and, 3) Build resilience into manufacturing supply chains. In support of these goals, SAM established 11 different objectives to pursue over the next four years, including introducing more sustainable manufacturing in support of decarbonization, expediting innovation for semiconductors, supporting the bioeconomy through advanced manufacturing and developing stronger connections between employers and education institutions. More information is available on the Manufacturing USA website.…

The Department of Energy’s Office of Science recently announced new requirements for all research proposal applications. Applicants must submit a plan for Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research — or PIER Plan — with their research proposal during the solicitation process. The PIER Plans will be required beginning in FY 2023 and will require investigators to describe strategies to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in all research projects. Larger research teams will be expected to provide more detailed PIER Plans. A new merit review criterion will evaluate these PIER Plans during the peer review process. These new requirements were developed following a systematic review of the Office of Science and were based on recommendations from peer reviews and community listening sessions. The Office of Science identified various barriers for underrepresented groups from these reviews and recognized over 40 opportunities to broaden participation. The Office of Science also updated the requirement for conference proposals, requiring a code of conduct to address discrimination, harassment or any other exclusionary practice, and an accessibility plan…

On the closing days of the previous federal fiscal year and with an Oct. 21 deadline looming for new proposals, the National Science Foundation announced the first 24 awards for a new program to support “Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems” (OSE). NSF’s goal is to exploit the advantages of using open-source development to find technological solutions to problems of national and societal importance. According to the program’s website, the goal is “to fund new OSE managing organizations, each responsible for the creation and maintenance of infrastructure needed for efficient and secure operation of an OSE based around a specific open-source product or class of products.” Rather than funding the development of new open-source products, NSF is striving to aid the creation and sustenance of OSE hubs, using a two-phase structure. Twenty-three of the recently announced awards are all $300,000 or less and will support one-year, Phase I conceptual development and planning awards to build OSEs. The final award announced is for a $2 million OSE training and network management program to be run by the University of California-Berkeley. While hoping to ramp up…

A total of $47 million has been awarded to 51 organizations by the U.S. Economic Development Administration to support programs that accelerate innovation and tech-based economic development as part of the Build to Scale program,  U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced yesterday. The 2022 awardees will leverage an additional $48 million in matching funds from private and public sector sources. SSTI has been an advocate of the Build to Scale program, which did not receive federal appropriations prior to the creation of the SSTI Innovation Advocacy Council. The 51 organizations are from 31 different states and include venture development organizations, state agencies, nonprofits, academic institutions, and other entrepreneurship-focused organizations. The FY 2022 Build to Scale program was comprised of two competitions –– the Venture Challenge, which “supports programs that enable high-growth technology entrepreneurship and foster inclusive access to proven entrepreneurship support models,” and the Capital Challenge, which “increases access to capital in communities where risk capital is in short supply by providing operational support for early-stage…