New dashboard may help us understand regional clusters
OMB proposes significant rule changes for grantees and contractors
Recent Research: Are new ideas really getting harder to find?
NSF seeks feedback on the new Tech Accelerators initiative
The U.S. National Science Foundation announced the launch of the NSF Tech Accelerators initiative. As proposed, the accelerators will align to four topics—agricultural technology (AgTech), materials technology (MaterialsTech), ocean technology (OceanTech), and scientific instrumentation (SciTech).
Recent research: Measuring the outcomes of free community college
Tuition-free community college programs have expanded steadily across the country over the past decade. A recent NBER working paper examines one of the earliest examples of a statewide program, asking not just whether free tuition increases enrollment, but also whether it helps more students complete their degrees.
Member News for June 4
The CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) is leading IN AI, an effort to help employers find practical ways to incorporate artificial intelligence to boost productivity and job growth. In cooperation with Gov.
State News for June 4, 2026
NSF selects 15 finalists to advance to the next round of its second Regional Innovation Engines competition
The U.S. National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program has narrowed the list of finalists advancing to the next stage of the program's second competition to 15 applicants—spanning critical technologies and applications ranging from enhancing energy grid security to maximizing the yield of critical minerals mining extraction to advancing quantum computing. The finalist teams, many of whom have been building their regional coalitions for a year or longer, are led by a range of organizations, including universities, nonprofits and private industry from across the United States.
Massachusetts lawmakers approve $4B for major initiatives in life sciences, climatetech, and AI
On Nov.
On Nov. 14, the Massachusetts’ House and Senate approved a compromise $4 billion economic development measure after months of negotiations that followed the end of their formal legislative session this past summer and the spring release of Gov. Maura Healey’s $3.5 billion proposal, An Act relative to strengthening Massachusetts’ economic leadership, or the Mass Leads Act. The Mass Leads Act sought to reauthorize the state’s life sciences investments at $1 billion for the next decade, launch a separate $1 billion, 10-year climatetech initiative, and build on the momentum of the state's CHIPS + Science wins by proposing targeted investments in advanced manufacturing and robotics. It also included $100 million to create an Applied AI Hub in Massachusetts.
Reauthorization of EDA’s popular Build to Scale program introduced
The bipartisan Build to Scale Reauthorization Act of 2026 was introduced on May 15 by Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11) and Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN), along with several co-sponsors. Additionally, more than sixty organizations and associations in 25 states endorsed the bill, which is designed to help Americans move new products, technologies, and medical inventions to market faster.
Nonprofit Venture Development Organizations: what they are and why the approach matters
Over the past 25 years, SSTI has seen a successful model emerge for supporting regional innovation-driven economies that deserves more attention from the TBED community. Successful Venture Development Organizations (VDOs) bring the entrepreneurial mindset of an innovation startup to regional economic growth strategies. VDOs simultaneously deliver multiple value propositions to their target service areas:
Connecting companies to research assets faster: the Tennessee Innovation Exchange model
The Tennessee Innovation Exchange (TNIX) is a statewide initiative designed to make it easier for companies, entrepreneurs, and investors to connect with university research expertise across Tennessee. In this recent TBED Community of Practice webinar, speakers Chuck Layne of LaunchTN and Tom Kissane of Halo Sciences explained how they partnered with six research universities to build a shared digital platform that supports university-industry collaboration and commercialization.
Useful Stats: Fed R&D obligations falter in FY 2025
AI Upskill Accelerator Pilot Program accepting applications
Recent Research: What two new studies tell us about innovation networks
Two recent research papers approach entrepreneurship and innovation from very different perspectives but arrive at a similar conclusion about how regional economies grow and change over time. Keeping technology-based economic development (TBED) initiatives proactively thinking about and addressing that evolution is a central aspect of all SSTI TBED-focused programming. Empirical research, like is discussed below, provides external evidence of how needs are changing and programs may want to adapt.
Webinars
State News for May 21, 2026
Rep. Haley Stevens leads bipartisan Build to Scale Reauthorization Act to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship in regional economies nationwide
Today, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11), along with Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN), introduced the bipartisan Build to Scale Reauthorization Act of 2026, legislation to extend and strengthen the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) successful Build to Scale program through fiscal year 2030. The bill helps startups grow, strengthens regional innovation hubs, and creates good-paying jobs across Michigan and the country.