Building on past reports calling for higher levels of educational achievement in the South, the 2007 Southern Growth Polices Board Report outlines a three-pronged strategy to aid the southern region in attaining its goal of building a globally competitive workforce. The annual Report on the Future of the South, released earlier this month, labels its new approach "Convene-Connect-Commit," addressing the process in detail.
Fantastic Marketing Opportunities Still Available Excitement for SSTI's 11th annual conference is growing as the entire exhibit space is now sold out - several months before the event. There are, however, several other options available to build awareness of your TBED program and generate beneficial relationships with the nation's top state and regional TBED decision makers at this year's event.
Over the past few months, Congress has been at work on a package of measures to address the competitiveness of the U.S. economy. Two similar, yet distinct, competitiveness bills are currently being reconciled in conference between the House and the Senate. President Bush has voiced several objections to both the Senate and House bills and may even be prepared to veto the legislation if a compromise cannot be reached.
State Also Begins Work on $150M Stem Cell Research Center An agreement between Gov. Jon Corzine and state legislative leaders will result in a $450 million bond referendum being put before New Jersey voters this fall. If approved, the money will be used to augment support for the state’s stem cell research initiative over the next 10 years.
North Carolina does not, at first glance, seem to be a venture capital underperformer. In 2006, venture capitalists invested close to $510 million in North Carolina, almost $60 million of which was invested in seed and early-stage businesses, according to the Pricewaterhouse Coopers Moneytree Survey of VC investment. However, while the state ranks 12th in seed/early-stage investment, many in the state perceive the lack of seed funding to be a major obstacle to economic growth.
With a projected national shortage of more than 280,000 math and science teachers by 2015, key stakeholders must begin initiating strategies to recruit, retain and renew the nation’s teaching workforce, says a new report by The Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF).
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) has published its latest update on the real gross domestic product (GDP) growth of each state. The update includes advance estimates for 2006 data, as well as revisions to data from 2003-2005.
SSTI has prepared a table showing every state’s real GDP per capita from 2003 to 2006. Besides these values, the table also includes:
Every year, the National Science Foundation releases Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E, a report filled with detailed statistics about the characteristics of science and engineering graduates enrolled at U.S. institutions. Using the annual report, SSTI has prepared a table showing the total number of graduate students for each year from 2001 to 2005 in each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
In keeping with the July 1 fiscal year deadlines, several states passed their budgets last month. The following states passed budgets that include funding for alternative energy, R&D tax credits, and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) initiatives.
Connecticut
Vermont, Connecticut and California lead the nation in the race to adopt energy efficiency policies, programs and technologies, according to the 2006 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard.
With the deadline less than two weeks away, we hope you are putting the finishing touches on your Excellence in TBED Award application.
As part of the budget deal agreed upon earlier this week between Gov. Ed Rendell and Pennsylvania lawmakers, two of the governor’s major TBED priorities - the Jonas Salk Legacy Fund and an alternative energy fund - will be voted on later this year.
The deepest mine in the U.S. has been selected by the National Science Foundation as site of its Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory. Also known as the “Homestake” in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the site contains 375 miles of tunnels, some extending more than 8,000 feet into the earth.
From federal, state and local governments to nonprofit organizations and private industry, nearly every sector has a stake in recruiting youth to the high-tech manufacturing jobs of the future in order to maintain a competitive advantage.
Every year, the National Science Foundation releases its Academic R&D Expenditures report, filled with statistics concerning the characteristics of research and development at U.S. colleges and universities. Using these reports, SSTI has prepared two tables detailing the funds provided by industry from 2001 to 2005 for institutions of higher education in each state and the District of Columbia.
With the rapidly rising cost of health insurance, entrepreneurs frequently find themselves unable to pay their premium in the early stages of business ownership. Often, this means going without health insurance or abandoning plans to launch a new firm. The North Central Iowa Alliance (NCIA) has announced a new initiative to lower this barrier facing new business owners.
Innovation and technology, two key components of NGA Chair Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano's Innovation America initiative, were the subject of much discussion during the National Governors Association's (NGA) recently concluded annual meeting. The two components are given even more attention in three new reports released by NGA during the meeting.
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.