For three decades, the SSTI Digest has been the source for news, insights, and analysis about technology-based economic development. We bring together stories on federal and state policy, funding opportunities, program models, and research that matter to people working to strengthen regional innovation economies.
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As those involved with the longstanding, internationally recognized program know, an air of uncertainty has enveloped NIST’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) for the past two years. With the release of the new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for MEP Centers (see SSTI’s write‑up here), it appears that perhaps many of those troubles may be in the past. Even so, the uncertainty has prompted many manufacturers, small businesses, and MEP centers to explore alternate funding sources, partnerships, and forms of assistance beyond NIST.
States and policymakers are seeking a better understanding of the risks and vulnerabilities of extreme heat and its associated weather events; and, in doing so, are beginning to develop strategies for a hotter future, including anticipated fiscal impacts. Arizona, California, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Wisconsin have all developed and begun implementing those heat action plans. Meanwhile, a recent report on the impact of extreme heat found that Mississippi is among the states with the largest heat-related economic losses. The United States loses an average of $100 billion annually from heat-induced declines in labor productivity.
According to NSF and the SEMI Foundation, “By 2030, the United States is projected to face a shortfall of approximately 127,000 to 157,000 semiconductor and microelectronics workers.” In an effort to counteract the potential challenge to U.S. competitiveness, the foundation is serving as the Hub Operator for the National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME) and recently announced the launch of the first four Regional Nodes of the NNME. Three of the four nodes are led by SSTI members: Boise State University, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Arizona Commerce Authority. The fourth node is led by NY Creates.
The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) is now doing business as the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership. The CICP brand will soon feature the new identity, including marketing materials and a redesigned logo. The legal name, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, will remain unchanged.
New federal data shows that Case Western Reserve University is the nation’s fastest-growing top-tier research institution. This year, the university’s R&D spending surged 37.5%. It is opening a new $300 million science hub later this year.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently signed the Clean & Reliable Grid Affordability Act, which seeks to make energy more affordable, including the incentivizing of battery storage and kick-starting nuclear power and renewable energy development in the state.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced that Elon Musk’s company, xAI, is investing over $20 billion in his state to build a new data center and power plant in Southaven. The center represents the largest single investment in the state’s history, Reeves said.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wants the federal government to receive a return on funding awarded for R&D, innovation and economic development. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority has financed a dozen various technology innovation initiatives with the same expectation for the state’s money. Here’s how NJEDA says it's working.
The proposed Biomanufacturing Excellence Act of 2025 would establish a single National Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Center of Excellence within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). H.R. 6089 was introduced by Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) with bipartisan cosponsors and paired with a Senate companion bill (S. 3188) led by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Ted Budd (R-NC). It authorizes $120 million in FY 2026 for NIST to conduct a competitive process to select one non-federal entity to build and operate the center. Eligible applicants include public-private partnerships, institutions of higher education, and multi-institution consortia. Because only a single awardee will be chosen, the proposed legislation likely sets up what is likely to be a stiff competition among many states which have made life sciences and manufacturing key elements of their innovation strategies.
This week’s 2025 off-year elections resulted in two new governors, solidified legislative Democratic majorities in New Jersey and Virginia, and the approval of significant ballot measures in California and Texas. While the gubernatorial campaigns centered on affordability and tapped into an electorate’s concerns about state and national economies, they also kick off speculation on the 2026 midterms.
“Buckeye Bridge,” a new initiative between The Ohio State University and Columbus State Community College, will provide students with a tuition-free path to finish their bachelor’s degree. Low- to middle-income Ohioans who earn an associate degree from Columbus State will qualify for the new program at Ohio State, which will cover all tuition and mandatory fees.
NSF’s Regional Resilience Innovation Incubator (R2I2) project has awarded Phase 1 funding to six teams, each addressing specific regional climate challenges and demonstrating solutions. The award includes funding for a seventh team to create the R2I2 National Office, which will support the collective and coordinated implementation of R2I2 award activities.
Gov. Phil Murphy and representatives from the founding partners—the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), Princeton University, Microsoft, and CoreWeave—officially opened the New Jersey Artificial Intelligence (NJAI) Hub on March 27, 2023.
Together, the founding partners will invest over $72 million to support the long-term success of the hub. New Jersey’s NJEDA has committed $25 million; the remaining $47 million of donated services and support will come from Princeton and the industry partners. A portion of NJEDA’s and CoreWeave’s committed funding will include a planned NJ AI Venture Fund supporting innovation commercialization through equity investments.
With the start of the new year, most governors deliver State of the State addresses or Budget addresses laying out their priorities for the coming year. With revenues for many states relatively consistent with forecasters expectations, lawmakers, with a few exceptions, continue to maintain cautious or constrained views of their funding priorities and proposed initiatives. As a result, many governors in SSTI’s analysis of addresses delivered so far this season, are speaking more about previously implemented programs and their continued successes rather than rolling out many new programs. However, new priorities for growing stronger innovation economies have not been completely overlooked.
The following highlights have been selected excerpted from eight of the 20 State of the States or Budget addresses given between Dec. 2024 and Jan. 16, 2025, by governors from Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.
