SSTI Job Corner
Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.
Report Says LAX Key in Attracting Corporate HQs to Southern California
Last year, nearly 17 million international passengers passed through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Many of those passengers were businesspeople who rely on convenient access to international flights to keep their companies in touch with partners, customers, divisions and markets all over the world. International flights out of LAX have played a key role in positioning the Los Angeles region as the largest manufacturing center in the U.S. and as a national high-tech leader.
SSTI Job Corner
Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.
Can Smaller Cities Compete with the Country’s Most Successful VC Markets?
According to the latest stats on venture capital investments, half of all U.S. VC investment during the last quarter of 2006 supported companies in two small areas of the country: Silicon Valley and New England (primarily the Boston metro area). With the exception of only a handful of other large metro areas and, since the origin of the modern venture capital industry some 25 years ago, most other cities have struggled to attract the attention of venture capitalists.
Recommended Rules of Engagement for University Tech Transfer
It is the opening day of AUTM’s 2007 annual conference in San Francisco, the largest gathering ever of individuals from around the world interested in university technology transfer.
Prizes Making Comeback to Spur Innovation
A gala held last weekend at Google headquarters in California officially kicked off a $50 million fundraising campaign for the X Prize Foundation, which provides funds for the development of new prizes. The prizes are designed to support breakthroughs for specific challenges in medicine, energy production and consumption, education, and transportation.
Participate in Southern Growth's 2007 Online Survey
Southern Growth Policies Board is polling citizens on their attitudes and ideas about building a competitive Southern Workforce. Visit http://www.southern.org/surveyintro.shtml and share your ideas on how to build a competitive, entrepreneurial workforce to support the southern region's economic development initiatives in high-growth industries.
$95M California Research and Innovation Initiative Would Target Green Energy, Biotech and Nanotech Jobs
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced that his proposed budget for 2007-08 will include a $95 million initiative to support new and existing facilities for high-tech research. The California Research and Innovation Initiative would provide funding to several university-based projects around the state hosting clean energy, biotechnology, and nanotechnology research and commercialization activities. Gov.
People
Tom White, president of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, announced he will resign his position after 28 years with the organization.
People & TBED Organizations
Tom Clarkson was named the new director of Wake Forest University's Babcock Demon Incubator, replacing Paul Briggs.
People & TBED Organizations
Richard Murphy was named interim president of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Arlene Chiu announced she will resign as interim chief scientific officer of CIRM, effective Oct. 31.
Incubators in the News
New York City Launches Second Biotech Incubator Companies wanting to commercialize new technologies can now bring their companies to Brooklyn, with the June opening of a new technology incubator located near Downstate University's biochemistry department.
Iowa Charts 10-year, $302M Biosciences Plan
A recent study completed for Iowa calls for continued investment in the biosciences - a 10-year, $302 million plan - to grow the industry and to create new job opportunities for the state.
Larta Institute to Manage $2.5M NIH Commercialization Efforts
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest federal funding source for life sciences research conducted by small tech firms, has selected the Larta Institute to manage its nationwide Commercialization Assistance Program. The multi-year $2.5 million award will target Phase II recipients of the NIH Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs (SBIR/STTR).
DOL Provides $17.2M for National Biotech Initiative
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) launched last month a $17.2 million national Biotechnology Worker Training Initiative in support of the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative.
“This $17.2 million in training funds will recruit and train workers for jobs in the biotechnology field, which is expected to be one of the fastest growing sectors by 2012,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao.
Input Sought for 'Next Generation' Manufacturing Programs
The U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) recently released reports making recommendations to address the challenges faced by the manufacturing industry. One of the recommendations in the NAPA report suggests creating a strategic plan that articulates the "next generation" of the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP).
Southern Growth Investigating Drivers for Industrial R&D
Wanted: all managers in private-sector research and development (R&D) facilities. The Southern Growth Policies Board is conducting a nationwide survey to gain insight into drivers and policies of industrial R&D. The survey attempts to illuminate university-company relationships.
Positive Signs Remain for Women-led Companies, Despite Funding Disadvantage
Although a significant gap still exists between women-led companies and their male counterparts, in terms of venture funding, some promising news may suggest a change in fortune for the former, a study released today by Growthink Research of Los Angeles and Chicago-based re:invention Inc. shows.
California to Vote on $3B Stem Cell Initiative
California voters will be at the forefront of a highly controversial issue this November when they are asked to decide on a $3 billion bond issue to fund stem cell research.
Milken Ranks Regional Biotech, Life Science Clusters
Only a handful of metropolitan areas have the critical mass necessary to ensure sustainability of their local biotech communities, according to America’s Biotech and Life Science Clusters, a new study from the Milken Institute. At the top of the list is San Diego, followed closely by Boston and the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill metro area. Only another nine are in the running, the report contends.
Incubator News
NBIA Releases Revised Business Incubation Guide
People
Real estate developer Robert Klein II was selected as chairman of California's stem cell oversight committee.
People
John Merrill will serve as executive director for the Greensboro Center for Innovative Development, a joint millennium campus and research park between University of North Carolina Greensboro and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
California, Hawaii Look to Sun for Energy Plans
One of the biggest obstacles for products drawing on alternative energy is finding a market big enough to bring the cost down of their new technologies to attract the larger more risk-adverse population of consumers. Californians are stepping up to the challenge after committing to invest nearly $3 billion over the next 10 years to aid in the shift to cleaner power.