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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.

While which states top the list in the 2008 edition of the State New Economy Index will capture the attention of the media and therefore the majority of decision makers, the most important contribution of the 2008 Index in the current fiscal environment is its overview and final chapter. The Index, released Nov.

This week an estimated five million people will celebrate the first annual Global Entrepreneurship Week by taking part in one of the 13,000 events planned worldwide.

Earlier this year, the Council on Competitiveness released a report on the nature and extent of high-performance computing in the private sector.

Throughout the presidential campaign President-elect Barack Obama continually emphasized the need for new policies to spur the development of clean and renewable energy technologies. Despite the economic downturn, President-elect Obama has maintained that these new programs will remain a priority for his administration.

If the fifth biennial assessment of U.S. higher education prepared by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education had to fit on an early elementary school report card, it might very well read "Shows effort, but not keeping pace with the rest of the students."

Incubators may take on magnified importance in regional innovation strategies for the coming years given the continued decline in seed and venture capital available to early-stage companies, the need for startups to reduce costs, and the increased opportunities presented for innovation through collaboration and sharing of knowledge.

So it isn't too surprising to see the wave of incubator launches increase during this financial slowdown.

Last week, Gov. Eliot Spitzer gave New York’s first ever “State of the Upstate” address in Buffalo, outlining his administration’s $1 billion Upstate Revitalization Fund. Among the components intended to encourage economic growth in the northern part of the state are:

With a budget management plan for the current fiscal year making its way through the state legislature, Gov. Janet Napolitano announced increased funding and borrowing for university programs and research initiatives in her fiscal year 2009 budget recommendation.

Funding for several TBED-focused initiatives aimed at increasing the state’s biotech portfolio is prominent in Gov. Martin O’Malley’s fiscal year 2009 budget proposal. Under the recommendation, stem cell research, biotechnology and nanotechnology are targeted for investments to grow the state’s economy, building on the actions of the 2007 legislative session (see the April 16, 2007 issue of the Digest).

 

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius delivered her State of the State Address last week proposing new initiatives and continued funding for several TBED programs emphasizing education and innovation as key to the state’s future economy.

Highlights from State of the State addresses delivered in Alaska and Hawaii are included in the third installment of the Tech Talkin’ series.

 

Alaska

Gov. Sarah Palin, State of the State Address, Jan. 15, 2008