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The Greenville Spartanburg Anderson Technology Council has named Philip Yanov executive director.

On the heels of the release of two roadmaps calling for increased state support for advanced manufacturing and information technology (IT), Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack announced plans to spend $50 million "to attract leading scientists to Iowa and spark new research and product development," according to the Des Moines Register.

The available pool of equity capital grew substantially last Thursday as the board of trustees for the $31.7 billion Alaska Permanent Fund approved the placement of 8 percent of the fund's value into alternative assets, such as venture capital funds and hedge funds. The Associated Press reports the current value of all alternative investments held by the Permanent Fund totals $292 million.

While Indiana has demonstrated strong competitiveness in industry and university R&D and performed well in entrepreneurial programs, the state lags most of its regional competitors and many of the 50 states in terms of production of new innovation workers and educational attainment, says a new report from Techpoint and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

Last week, Congress passed HR 2862, the fiscal year 2006 appropriations bill for State, Science, Justice, and Commerce. SSTI covered the federal budget request in the Feb. 14 issue of the Digest.

The Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) has released the 92-page summary report for its 14th annual survey of university licensing, revealing steady growth in the field. AUTM U.S. Licensing Survey: FY 2004 provides quantitative information about licensing activities at universities, hospitals and research institutions across North America.

To spur technology development in the state, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) has entered a collaborative agreement with the nation's cryptologic organization, the National Security Agency (NSA). TEDCO’s mission is to help foster a technology economy that will create and sustain businesses throughout Maryland. NSA coordinates, directs and performs highly specialized activities to protect U.S.

Given the proportionately small amount of money invested in transportation research and development (R&D), significant gaps exist in ensuring that the more than $120 billion in annual transportation funding is being spent wisely, witnesses have told a House Science Subcommittee. The testimony came at a hearing in April exploring the needs of transportation R&D as Congress considers the renewal of a massive transportation bill.

As states and communities consider how to build a tech-based economy, the prospects of centering efforts around hydrogen fuel cell technology has become an increasingly appealing option. Fuel cells may have huge implications for the future, and the technology already is the focus of some states' multi-billion economic development strategies.

Nonprofits looking for financial assistance, technology assistance or assistance in general may not need to look much further than one browser window. Two online resources, TechSoup and Gifts In Kind, offer a wide variety of tools that can help nonprofit organizations stretch tight budgets.

Research released this week by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) suggests that, failing a dramatic turnaround in the national economy, a recovery in the IT sector in 2003 will most likely continue to be a “jobless” one.

In the final week of its 2003 Legislative Session, the North Dakota State Legislature passed sweeping legislation that favors tech-based economic development in the state. The Greater North Dakota Association (GNDA), serving as the state's Chamber of Commerce, subsequently issued a summary of those bills targeted toward job growth. Some highlights of GNDA's summary are presented below:

As off-year elections go, the Nov. 8, 2005, election was pretty quiet across the country if you weren't running for mayor in one of 300-plus municipalities up for grabs or governor of New Jersey or Virginia.

New Jersey and Virginia were the only two states to choose governors in November 2005, with both states having open races. Below is a description of each governor-elect's position on TBED.

Last Tuesday's election included a major bond package in Maine, a constitutional amendment in Ohio to complete the Third Frontier initiative, budget reform in New York, and additional TBED items in Iowa and Texas. Following are the results from some of the major ballot and bond issues within the states.

As states have wrestled with budget constraints in recent years, many have adopted or are contemplating spending-limit measures, such as Colorado's Taypayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR), or similar fiscal limitations that restrain growth of government spending. In the recent November elections, California voters rejected a spending-limit proposal and Colorado voters suspended their state's restrictive TABOR amendment, allowing the state to keep funds for the next five years.

Southern Growth Policies Board, a regional public policy think tank, is accepting nominations for its Innovator Awards.

During a legislative season that was marked by heated discussions in most statehouses on what to cut or save, Indiana is one of a handful of states so far that focused considerable debate on planting the seeds for a stronger future through technology-based economic development.

Maine Governor John Baldacci got nearly everything he wanted in a bond proposal to encourage technology-based economic development (TBED). The Maine legislature shaved $10 million from the Governor's original request before passing the bond on to Maine voters for consideration at a special referendum June 10. The bond proposal includes:

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has notified its partners more than $2.3 billion is available in the FY 2003 SuperNOFA (Notification of Funding Availability), including 43 separate funding opportunities for local units of government and nonprofit faith-based and community organizations.

Venture-backed women-led enterprises are moving well beyond start-up stages of corporate formation to revenue generation, and almost 20 percent report profitability, according to Springboard Enterprises, whose program for women entrepreneurs has helped raise $1.76 billion in equity capital for women-led companies.

A strategic plan issued in 2002 by the Fifth Planning District Regional Alliance in Virginia may officially have completed the first phase when the Alliance recently awarded $273,342 in grants and earmarked funds.

Gov. Bill Richardson has appointed his chief of staff, David Harris, to serve as executive director of the New Mexico Finance Authority.

Idaho Falls businessman LaMoyne Hyde was appointed by Gov. Dirk Kempthorne to serve as Director of the Idaho Department of Commerce.

Gov. Bill Richardson has appointed his chief of staff, David Harris, to serve as executive director of the New Mexico Finance Authority.

Idaho Falls businessman LaMoyne Hyde was appointed by Gov. Dirk Kempthorne to serve as Director of the Idaho Department of Commerce.