SSTI Digest

A public-private investment of $1.5 billion to create a nanotech hub in upstate New York and a $250,000 educational investment in Illinois illustrate recent state efforts to elevate nanotechnology in workforce development. New York is putting $200 million toward the Nano Utica facility for purchasing new equipment. The initiative is being led by six global technology companies, and the facility will serve as a cleanroom and research hub for computer chip packaging and lithography development and commercialization. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn recently announced a $250,000 state investment for equipment to prepare high school students for careers in nanotechnology. The school receiving the funds also plans to incorporate nanotechnology programming within its STEM summer camp curriculum.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin announced that Jonna Kirschner, executive director of the Oklahoma Commerce Department, will serve on a transition team to establish a new workers’ compensation system. Vaughn Clark , the Commerce Department’s director of community development, was named as interim executive director. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper named Mark Sirangelo, who is head of Sierra Nevada Corp., as chair of the Colorado Innovation Network and the state's new chief innovation officer. John Rhodes has been appointed as president and CEO of NYSERDA. Brian Cummings is leaving as vice president for technology commercialization at Ohio State University to seek other professional opportunities. Ray Atilano, the executive director of technology commercialization, also has left his position. Christy Wyskiel has been named senior adviser to the president for enterprise development at Johns Hopkins University. Wyskiel will fill the role beginning Jan. 1, succeeding Aris Melissaratos who accepted a new position as executive-in-residence and senior adviser to Dean Bernard T. Ferrari at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. Michael…

Foundations increasingly are tapping into the unique skills of institutions of higher education by partnering with them to support entrepreneurial growth within their surrounding communities. These foundations view institutions of higher education as the ideal partners to provide education and business services necessary for entrepreneurs to reach their potential. Several foundations recently have announced funding to support entrepreneurship development activities at universities including the Ratcliffe Foundation and the Allstate Foundation. The Blackstone Charitable Foundation also announced that it is accepting applications from institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations to pilot, expand or replicate entrepreneurship initiatives. Through a grant from the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation, Salisbury University will award grants and loan guarantees to entrepreneurs in Maryland and other mid-Atlantic states. The Ratcliffe Foundation will commit $1 million over the next five years ($200,000 annually). Grant recipients also will receive mentoring and access to other resources. To be eligible, the entrepreneurs must hold an associate’s…

Well-designed research centers can help bring an innovation ecosystem together through the spillover effects of knowledge dissemination, student learning experiences, local early access to new technologies, and by attracting R&D funding. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announced a $30 million initiative led by SUNY’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) to transform and revitalize a vacant building into a hub for smart cities technology companies, research, education and workforce training. The new Smart Cities Technology Innovation Center (SCiTI) is the latest initiative in a continued push by Gov. Cuomo and state legislators toward regionalism to support the state’s high-tech platform (see the April 3, 2013 issue of the Digest). CNSE was awarded $4 million as part of the governor’s Regional Council initiative to spur economic growth in downtown Albany. Funding will be used to leverage another $26 million in private sector support, according to the governor’s press release. Several states have been successful in transforming industrial or underused areas into high-tech hubs through cluster-based initiatives and…

Recently, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced a statewide Regional Prosperity Initiative — a voluntary, competitive grant process for existing state-designated planning regions and metropolitan planning organizations. The plan will divide the state into 10 zones with the intent of empowering local and regional partners to develop a consensus vision and implementation plan for economic success. Under the initiative, all state government departments also will begin serving the 10 regions, enhancing service delivery and encouraging communities to collaborate on a regional basis. Although specific details still are being worked through, starting in 2014, regions will compete for grant funding to support economic development efforts including establishment of regional prosperity collaboratives, councils and boards. The Initiative was signed into law as a part of the state’s FY14 budget (59 PA 2013). Read the Regional Prosperity Initiative FAQ… Michigan joins New York and Tennessee as states that have shifted their economic development efforts to focus on regional zones. In April 2011, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and lawmakers agreed to establish a regional…

The co-locating of researchers, donated equipment, and capital are recent examples of key elements provided by private-sector partners to help accelerate technology commercialization. In the past month, leaders from universities and nonprofit organizations across the country have announced new efforts to expand research capacity and bring more products to market by launching innovative centers in collaboration with corporate partners. University-industry alliances often are credited with helping build regional innovation ecosystems with successes cited in new company formation, high-tech job creation and a better trained workforce, among others. Often times, companies look to leverage their R&D activities with complementary initiatives taking place at local universities. So is the case in Burlington, MA, where a new innovation center aimed at accelerating the commercialization of basic research is the product of a partnership between Northeastern University and Rogers Corporation. The George J. Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security is a planned 4,000-square-foot center to be completed by the end of the year on the university campus. While targeted…

At the close of many recent legislative sessions, states across the country moved to strengthen their high-tech workforce while supporting industry cluster development. In Washington state, the Working Washington Agenda has received bipartisan support to strengthen the state’s economic foundations on a wide range of fronts. The final bill provides funding for STEM education, improves workforce training programs, and assists with the growth of key industries. One highlight of legislation supporting cluster development is the creation of a Joint Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation, backed by $1.5 million in state funding, which is being used to fund 18 research projects across the state. Each grant connects an in-state aerospace company with public university partners to support the commercialization of new technologies. Currently, the University of Washington, Washington State, and Western Washington are participating. The program is designed to assist aerospace companies of all sizes, and includes $300,000 in grants for 12 high schools to adopt aerospace assembly programs. The Working Washington Agenda also directs $40 million toward the creation of…

As many state legislative sessions wind down, a clearer picture of the current direction of state innovation policies is emerging. This week’s SSTI Weekly Digest presents a few of the major trends in technology-based economic development initiatives approved by state legislatures during their most recent sessions. While this review is not meant to be comprehensive, it should illuminate the shifts states are making to refine their investments in the high-tech economy by providing smarter, more targeted support. Over the past few months, the Digest has reported on several major capital access initiatives, transparency efforts and agency reorganizations that have made headlines amid a slow economic recovery and renewed attention to accountability in economic development. While other stories in this issue will examine some of the trends in legislation that previously have gone unreported in the Digest, several major legislative efforts have appeared in earlier issues, but represent other intriguing developments in state innovation policy. States Launch Venture Capital Funds for High-Tech GrowthThis week in Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker signed…

Industry support for additive manufacturing is exploding as startups find new ways to market the technology to businesses. States and universities are taking advantage of this growing trend to form partnerships with companies that support the lean innovation approach is driving the 3D printing renaissance. The Wall Street Journal reports that Stratasys, a major 3D printing company that focuses on additive manufacturing, acquired MakerBot in a deal worth $403 million in stock. MakerBot, which specializes in the production of consumer 3D printers, will retain its brand and operate as a subsidiary. The move positions Stratasys to push for broader adoption of 3D printing across industries. MakerBot has sold 22,000 3D printers since 2009, but because of rapid market growth, half of those sales have come in the past 9 months. This has propelled the company's stock to rise 76 percent over the past 12 months. The MIT Technology Review provides a background on the argument for a 3D printing renaissance: manufacturing was previously the domain of large companies and trained experts because of the expertise, equipment, and costs associated with production. Now, because…

Rice University's Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship has been named the top university business incubator in the world by the University Business Incubator (UBI) Index based in Sweden. The group reviewed 550 university business incubators and studied 150 incubators to determine the top incubators in the world based on their value for the ecosystem, their value for clients, and their attraction rate and past performance. Other U.S. incubators that made the UBI Index Top list include VentureLab, the University of Buffalo Technology Incubator, and Tech 20/20.

Businesses on SUNY campuses outside of New York City, and on certain designated private campuses, will be exempt from sales, property and corporate state taxes under a new initiative unveiled this week by New York Gov Andrew Cuomo. In addition, employees of these businesses will be exempt from income taxes. Eligible businesses must have a relationship with the host university related to its academic mission. The state will offer an additional 3 million square free of tax-free commercial space at New York private universities as part of the Tax-Free NY initiative. Read the announcement...

With a continued push toward regionalism to better support the state's high-tech platform, lawmakers approved in the FY14 budget startup funding for a new statewide incubator program that provides grants for the incubators and tax incentives for client companies. The initiative is part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's planned expansion for the state's 10 regional councils. Other innovation-focused initiatives approved in the recently enacted budget include a $50 million innovation venture capital fund, a third round of funding for the SUNY 2020 program, and $55 million to launch the CUNY 2020 challenge. The budget signed into law this week includes $1.25 million in initial funding to launch the Innovation Hot Spots program that will create or designate 10 high-tech innovation incubators at locations affiliated with higher education institutes. Created with broad industry support, the new program is a combination of Gov. Cuomo's "hot spots" proposal (see the Jan. 9, 2013 issue of the Digest) and legislation introduced by Sen. Martin Golden (R, C, I-Brooklyn). Under the program, entities that meet best practice criteria are designated as New York…