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Business incubators, known for the business support services they provide entrepreneurs, have shown themselves through the years to be a valuable resource in the process of starting and growing companies. Office and laboratory space provided at a reduced cost to tenants is just one of the benefits. Many incubators also offer access to university research, mentoring and seed and venture capital in order to encourage entrepreneurship and ensure the success of new high-technology start-up companies.

For a country to attain a thriving information technology (IT) sector, an environment that promotes competitiveness, protects innovation, and invests in education and infrastructure must be supported. According to a report released this month by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which created an “IT Industry Competitiveness Index” to measure and compare this environment, the U.S. ranks first among 64 countries from around the world.

Angel networks are often seen as an effective way to make sense of hodgepodge of individual investors, institutional funds and investment groups that make up the early-stage capital industry. Though many regions suffer from a lack of early-stage capital, this problem is often exacerbated by insufficient knowledge among entrepreneurs about local angel investors and groups and vice versa.

As community leaders plan the physical development of their regions, some recent research may offer insight into the benefits of encouraging close proximity between firms. A group from Statistics Canada has published a paper exploring the various gains in productivity that manufacturing firms experience due to geographic concentration. In Urban Economies and Productivity, John Baldwin, Desmond Beckstead, W.

Oregon lawmakers haveagreed to fund nearly all of Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s innovation proposals, including investments in seven new industry initiatives and the creation of two new signature research centers. The innovation plan passed by lawmakers falls $10 million short of the original $38 million proposal introduced by the Oregon Innovation Council and included in Gov. Kulongoski’s fiscal year 2007-09 budget released in December 2006 (see the Dec.

After running on a month-long stopgap budget, North Carolina lawmakers reached a $20.7 billion budget agreement for fiscal year 2007-08 earlier this week that includes funding for major research initiatives, public and higher education, and TBED-related items.

 

A majority of angel investment groups report that the quality and quantity of their deal flow increased last year, according to a recent national survey of angel investors. Roughly 54 percent reported an increase in activity in 2006, and almost 58 percent expect even more investments and higher quality deals throughout 2007.

 

The venture capital industry appears to have rebounded from the post-tech bust slump, according to Ernst & Young’s latest Global Venture Insights Report. In the past year, venture investment has climbed to its highest point since 2001. Much of this growth has taken place in emerging markets like India, Russia and particularly China, where the venture industry is a relatively recent phenomenon.

With the goal of improving the competitiveness of their workforces, many states and regions are searching for the best policies to encourage participation in educational opportunities beyond high school. Dual enrollment plans are one type of such policies that enable students to enroll in postsecondary level courses while still in high school.

 

The Maryland Technology Development Corporation has awarded more than $500,000 to seven start-up technology companies. The program, TEDCO’s Maryland Technology Transfer Fund (MTTF), is designed to help businesses transfer technology from Maryland universities and federal laboratories into the marketplace. The grants range between $70,000 and $75,000.

 

After months of negotiations, the House and Senate have approved the most significant bill in years to bolster U.S. research. The America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science (COMPETES) Act authorizes over $43 billion in new federal spending over the next three years, which will support U.S. math and science education and federal research agencies.

The India Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises announced last week a plan to provide funding to 50 universities and training institutions for the creation of up to 100 enterprise incubators within innovative fields.

 

Policymakers and researchers in the U.S. continue to debate the effectiveness and value of providing R&D subsidies to firms in the hope of spurring technological developments and wealth generation. At the national level, several organizations have called to make the federal R&D tax credit, also known as the Research and Experimentation Tax Credit (RETC), a permanent incentive program. Researchers centered in countries outside of the U.S. are looking at the effectiveness of R&D subsidies in their nations, as well.

An expected explosion of health-related expenditures combined with no new policy changes will likely result in fiscal challenges for state and local governments within the next decade, says a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The result could put downward pressure on public funding available to support TBED initiatives.

 

In today’s world, a trip to the doctor may entail your test results to be analyzed in India, your specialist to be called in Canada, and your billing information to be processed in South Africa. Given the prevalence and speed of modern forms of communication, information can be sent around the globe at a moment’s notice, hastening the speed of business.

 

Every year, the National Science Foundation releases its Academic R&D Expenditures report, filled with statistics related to the characteristics of R&D at U.S. colleges and universities. Using these reports, SSTI has prepared two tables detailing the funds provided by industry in fiscal year 2005 for the 100 institutions with the highest amount of industry-financed R&D.

Four recipients selected as best practice models in technology-based economic development were honored during an awards ceremony last week in Cleveland during SSTI's 12th Annual Conference. The awards follow a national competition emphasizing impact and replicability in approaches to building and sustaining tech-based economies.

Though the U.S. Treasury's initial proposal for a bailout of the financial sector was only three pages when it was first submitted to Congress, federal legislators did not waste time in expanding its scope.

The U.S. should create a nationwide network of innovation zones which gather the capabilities of entities such as research parks, technology incubators, universities, and federal laboratories according to a recent report from the Association of University Research Parks (AURP).

Tuesday's elections will allow the Democrats in Congress to expand their majorities in both the House and the Senate. With several races still to be decided, the exact composition of the House is undetermined, although Democrats picked up at least 18 seats, according to the Washington Post.

Oregon

The University of Utah (U of U) announced last month two significant investments in TBED supported by USTAR, the state-funded initiative to grow Utah's knowledge economy.

On December 9, two NIST programs will be hosting a meeting to explain how businesses can better take advantage of them. Officials from the Technology Innovation Program (TIP) and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) will provide an overview and discuss future directions for the programs. SSTI is co-hosting the meeting because we see it as an excellent opportunity for TBED organizations and their clients to learn more about and provide input on programs that could see dramatic increases in funding in an Obama administration.

Gov. Bill Ritter announced his administration's plan to inject $12 million into initiatives that promote job training, provide small businesses with access to capital, and invest in the state's New Energy Economy and bioscience sectors.