SSTI Digest

While the presidential election has been dominating the news, voters across the country will be acting on an array of tech-based economic development issues on Election Day next week. The largest is an initiative in California that would provide up to $3 billion for embryonic stem cell research. If approved by California voters, Proposition 71 would have the potential of significantly changing the landscape of where stem cell research is carried out and have significant economic development implications. Under current federal regulations, federal funding for embryonic stem cell research is limited to a specific set of already existing lines. With $300 million in new state funding for the next 10 years, Proposition 71 could prove to be an irresistible force for researchers, setting California up to be the focal point for stem cell research in the U.S. Even if federal restrictions are eased, California's funding may put it in a dominant position as it will be better able to leverage funding from the National Institutes of Health. Other significant ballot measures are highlighted below: Arizona …

Separate reports released in the past two weeks, one by a national outsourcing firm and the other by a Congressionally mandated commission, reveal efforts to create jobs faster than they are being eliminated remains a challenge for many sectors of the U.S. economy. Quarterly Figures for Information & Communications Tech Job Cuts Computer and related high-wage tech job cuts jumped 60 percent in the third quarter, according to the latest quarterly survey by Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The 54,701 positions lost during the summer brings the total to 118,427 so far this year. The largest number of layoff intentions were at computer companies, which planned 30,624 cuts in the third quarter (127 percent increase over the previous quarter). Also seeing increased job cutting are telecommunications (+8 percent to 19,825) and electronics (+75 percent to 4,092). The year-to-date total jobs cut account for 16 percent of the 724,320 announcements for all industries in the first nine months of 2004. U.S. Job Losses from Offshoring Double between…

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced $14.4 million in Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) grants to 27 organizations in 22 states and the District of Columbia. Historically, TOP has been one of the most competitive tech-based economic development grant programs offered by the federal government, and 2004 was no exception – 494 applications were received, requesting $277.1 million. This year's grantees represent a variety of nonprofit organizations and public institutions, including hospitals, K-12 schools, libraries, universities, public safety agencies, community technology providers, and city and county governments. Partnerships with the private sector and state and local organizations are required, leveraging the $14.4 million in federal funds with commitments in non-federal matching funds totaling $16.9 million. Examples of economic development related projects funded through this year's grant winners include: web-authoring jobs for people with disabilities; certification for aspiring telehealth…

According to Gov. Ernie Fletcher, Kentucky is on the wrong side of a widening digital divide as the Commonwealth ranks 44th in its proportion of high-tech companies, 45th in household computer use, and 43rd in citizen Internet use. To help improve these figures, the governor has called for a broadband deployment and adoption plan that will leverage state, federal and private investment to have full, statewide broadband deployment by 2007. The plan, Prescription for Innovation: Delivering Broadband Technology for a 21st Century, will address challenges of Kentucky businesses and residents by identifying their needs and implementing community-specific plans. Building upon the success of the rural broadband bill signed earlier this year (see the May 24 issue of the Digest), the plan will address the supply-side and demand-side issues resulting from full deployment and increased adoption. ConnectKentucky, a quasi-public tech-based economic development alliance, has been charged with implementing the plan. Through collaboration with the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority and the…

The biopharmaceutical industry is poised to become an important source of economic growth in regions that are successful in nurturing it, according to a recent report from the Milken Institute. With so many states and communities focusing significant financial resources toward developing bio-based economies, the industry analysis is likely to be welcome news. Biopharmaceutical Industry Contributions to State and U.S. Economics demonstrates the strong economic impact that the biopharmaceutical industry already has on state and U.S. economies. In addition, the report includes 10-year projections that maintain the total employment impact by 2014 will increase to more than 3.6 million and real output will reach $305.1 billion -- assuming government policies continue to encourage basic and applied R&D in the biopharmaceutical field. The report contends growth in the sector will not be evenly distributed across the country, however, and provides a state-by-state analysis of the industry’s economic impact in four main areas, including industry geographic location and performance, innovation…

Finland remains the most competitive economy in the world and tops the rankings for the second consecutive year in The Global Competitiveness Report 2004-2005, released earlier this month by the World Economic Forum (WEF). The U.S. is in second position, followed by Sweden, Taiwan, Denmark and Norway, respectively. The rankings are drawn from the results of the Executive Opinion Survey, a comprehensive survey conducted by WEF that polled more than 8,700 business leaders in 104 economies worldwide. The survey questionnaire is designed to capture those factors affecting an economy’s business environment that are key determinants of sustained economic growth. Particular attention is placed on elements of the macroeconomic environment, the quality of public institutions underpinning the development process, and the level of technological readiness and innovation. Finland holds the top spot in the Growth Competitiveness Index rankings for the third time in the last four years. The country is very well managed at the macroeconomic level, the WEF report states, but it also scores high in those measures…

The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill received top honors as the most entrepreneurial campus in a Princeton Review survey of 357 schools and universities across the country. Moving UNC-Chapel Hill to the top of the list were such things as offering entrepreneurship as a major for its undergraduate business degree and several programs to help students launch their own careers as entrepreneurs. With the exception of the Pacific Northwest, every section of the country is well represented among the remaining top 24 schools, in rank order: 2.) University of Notre Dame; 3.) Louisiana State University and A&M College; 4.) Northeastern University; 5.) Indiana University-Bloomington; 6.) Carnegie Mellon University; 7.) Syracuse University; 8.) University of Arizona; 9.) University of Iowa; 10.) University of New Hampshire; 11.) Xavier University; 12.) University of San Francisco; 13.) University of New Mexico; 14.) University of North Dakota; 15.) University of Dayton; 16.) Stanford University; 17.) Georgia Institute of Technology; 18.) Stevens Institute of Technology; 19.) Loyola Marymount University; 20…

Mark Benedetto, president of the University of Sioux Falls, has been elected chairman of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce. Julie Coons is the new president of the Technology Council of Maryland. Coons most recently served as executive vice president of PCIA -- the Wireless Infrastructure Association. The Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest has hired Arthur DeMonte as its first executive director. DeMonte was global director of the e-Business Technology Center at Dow Chemical. Norma Grace, vice chancellor for technology and economic development at the University of New Orleans, has been elected as the 2004-05 president of the Association of University Research Parks. The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has named Dr. Gautam Pillay to the new position of vice president for research. Pillay was executive director of the Inland Northwest Research Alliance. Duane Roth is the new executive director of UCSD CONNECT. Roth was CEO of Alliance Pharmaceuticals in San Diego. Michael Terry, president and CEO of EmergeMemphis, has…

Mark Benedetto, president of the University of Sioux Falls, has been elected chairman of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.

Julie Coons is the new president of the Technology Council of Maryland. Coons most recently served as executive vice president of PCIA -- the Wireless Infrastructure Association.

The Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest has hired Arthur DeMonte as its first executive director. DeMonte was global director of the e-Business Technology Center at Dow Chemical.

Norma Grace, vice chancellor for technology and economic development at the University of New Orleans, has been elected as the 2004-05 president of the Association of University Research Parks.