New Income Tax Credit Designed to Fund Oregon Public Universities
Earlier this month, Oregon’s University Venture Development Fund began operations, which will allow the state’s taxpayers to receive a 60 percent income tax credit on contributions that will be applied toward commercialization and entrepreneurial programs at Oregon’s eight public universities. Authorized by the state legislature, the fund will enable $14 million to be provided to the universities in aggregate, with each institution’s allocation formulated by its annual income from research grants and contracts.
NSB Releases Action Plan on STEM Education
Many Digest stories in recent years have described the actions of states and regions to build a stronger educational foundation in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The National Science Board (NSB), the policy-making body of the National Science Foundation, released its recommendations to improve the ability of all American students to receive the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully participate in the workforce of the future.
Recent Research: New Report Offers Advice for Emerging Tech Transfer Universities
While discussions of successful university technology transfer programs tend to revolve around a select set of high-achieving institutions, a number of less-recognized institutions are now being proposed as national models for their approaches to entrepreneurial support and regional outreach.
Equity Investment and Fundraising Reach Post-Tech Boom High, though Gaps Persist
The U.S. venture and angel markets appear to have fully recovered from their slump earlier this decade. Pricewaterhouse Coopers' Moneytree Survey reports that as of the third quarter, 2007 is on track to become the most active year for venture investment since 2001. Three years after hitting a tech bust low of just under $20 billion in 2003, venture firms investment surpassed $26 billion last year. Venture fundraising has been even stronger, as funds recovered from a low of less than $5 billion in 2001 to more than $30 billion in 2006.
Southern Growth Launches Two New Online Tools
Southern Growth Policies Board recently announced the launch of two new, searchable web-based tools and the redesign of its website.
SSTI Job Corner
Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.
2007 Election Results: New Governors Promote TBED Strategies; Ballot Items Reveal Mixed Results
The 2007 state elections resulted in two newly elected governors, both promoting TBED strategies as a means to grow the states’ economies. In both cases, the new governorships reflect a change in party affiliation. A third gubernatorial race resulted in the re-election of Gov. Haley Barbour to a second term in Mississippi.
Kentucky
Michigan Lawmakers Approve Budget: 21st Century Jobs Fund Spared, Three Universities Receive Special Status
For the better part of the year, lawmakers in Michigan have faced the daunting task of balancing both a budget shortfall for fiscal year 2007 and a nearly $1.6 billion deficit for FY 2008. An agreement between Gov. Jennifer Granholm and lawmakers was reached in the early morning hours of Oct. 31, following a one-month extension of the deadline and a brief government shutdown.
Looking Back at SSTI's 9th Annual Conference Sound Strategies for Encouraging Regional Entrepreneurship
Note: This is the first in a series of articles SSTI will be running over the next several weeks to provide synopses of selected breakout sessions from SSTI's 9th Annual Conference, held Oct. 19-21, 2005, in Atlanta. Ideas for 2006 conference sessions can be forwarded to skinner@ssti.org.
Looking Back at SSTI's 9th Annual Conference Alternative Energy and TBED: A Powerful Opportunity
In another wing of the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, site of SSTI's 2005 conference, participants shared what their states and regions are doing in the area of encouraging the development and deployment of alternative energy.
Editorial: Should U.S. TBED Worry As Multinationals Increase Overseas R&D Investments?
The rise in the late 1990s in the concept of a "new economy" was coupled with the rapid growth in research and innovation investment within the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. When the dot-com bubble burst, some state and local strategies were revamped to look for the next big thing, which in many places was biotechnology or nanotechnology.
Kauffman Launches eVenturing™ Website
To help entrepreneurs start and manage businesses, the Kauffman Foundation recently launched Kauffman eVenturing™ ( www.eVenturing.org).
Useful Stats: Five-year Change in Median Income by State
The U.S. Census Bureau has recently released the 2003 Model-based Estimates of Income and Poverty for States from the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates Program (SAIPE).
Iowa Governor Wants $50M for Advanced Manufacturing
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.
Alaska Authorizes Nearly Eight-fold Increase in Public VC Investments
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.
Progress Disappointing Despite Thoughtful Initiatives in Indiana, Report Says
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.
Congress Approves FY06 Appropriations for TBED Programs
Useful Stats: 2004 AUTM Results, By State
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.
People
Robert Cresanti was nominated by President Bush to become the next undersecretary of Commerce for Technology.
Jim Denn was named deputy executive director of the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR).
People
Robert Cresanti was nominated by President Bush to become the next undersecretary of Commerce for Technology.
People
Jim Denn was named deputy executive director of the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR).
People
Peter Gold was appointed associate provost for economic initiatives at Rutgers-Camden.
People
Eric Griego was appointed assistant secretary of economic development for the New Mexico Economic Development Department.
People
Hunt Lambert was selected as the new associate vice president for economic development in the Colorado State University system.
People
Jim Pennekamp will be the executive director of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's research and business park, effective Dec. 1.