The Great American AI Act is open for discussion
Modifications to H-1B visa registration finalized
Beginning in early March, potential wage levels will play a leading role in the selection process that determines H-1B visa recipients, worrying some that it may result in a decrease in the number of international students wanting to pursue their education in the U.S.
SSTI releases new members-only funding opportunity search
Every week, SSTI members receive the Funding Supplement, an exclusive members-only electronic publication with information on applications, eligibility criteria, and submission deadlines for funding opportunities offered by federal government agencies, foundations, and other organizations. Expanding this benefit, SSTI has released a Funding Supplement Search for members, including over 200 active and 5,700 total opportunities to reference. Every week, new opportunities are added and updated.
The Illinois-Wisconsin-Indiana region could see as many as 191,000 quantum jobs by 2035
The Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) recently released a report, Advancing Together: A Unified Strategy for Scaling Midwest Quantum Talent, outlining a regional strategy to expand the quantum workforce. The Illinois-Wisconsin-Indiana region could see as many as 191,000 quantum jobs by 2035, according to a Boston Consulting Group analysis for the CQE. More than 70% of those jobs will be available to people who do not have graduate degrees, and nearly one-third will be open to those with associates degrees or technical training.
SSTI Members
To sustain our work to support state and regional innovation initiatives across the country, SSTI relies on the generosity of those members of the community who share our vision of serving as a center for advancing best practices across the field. We greatly appreciate their support. We also invite others equally committed to using smart programs to combine the four pillars of science, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship to advance their own regional economies to join the list of leading organizations below.
Why Join
EDA AI funding opportunity may go undersubscribed
Corporations, former governors launch new national AI organization
Warning: Tighter budgets ahead
There’s a lot of churn in state budgets this year, but the bottom line is clear: tighter budgets are ahead for most states. As a result, governors and legislatures—with a few exceptions—are approaching Fiscal Year 2027 (FY 27) with cautious or constrained funding priorities.
Recent Research: Who actually benefits from R&D tax incentives?
BEA releases new income distribution data tool
SEMI launches microelectronics talent development network
TBED Community of Practice explores the importance of early customer discovery
This week's joint meeting of the Lab-to-Market and Entrepreneurship Development subcommunities of SSTI's TBED Community of Practice focused on how the NSF I-Corps and DOE Energy I-Corps programs help researchers move discoveries beyond the lab and toward real-world use. A central theme was the importance of engaging potential customers early, testing market assumptions, and confirming the existence of a real need before investing significant resources in technology development.
State News for June 25, 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.
What TBED investors need to know about exits
New dashboard may help us understand regional clusters
Webinars
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.