Research Park Round Up
The following overview is a synopsis of select recent announcements from research parks across the nation, including groundbreakings and development plans to support vibrant regional economies based on science, technology and innovation.
TBED People and Organizations
Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation has named Jim Carroll as director of its Center for Entrepreneurial Growth.
TBED Organizations & People Update
Jerry Lonergan, president of Kansas, Inc., is resigning effective April 1. A bill to dissolve the state's policy and planning organization passed the Kansas Senate last week.
People
Angela Kreps is the first president of the year-old Kansas Bioscience Organization.
People
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has appointed former Kansas Gov. John Carlin to the Kansas Bioscience Authority.
People
The Kansas Bioscience Authority named Thomas Thornton as its first president and CEO.
Great Plains at Center of Mounting Brain Drain
The agricultural states that lie east of the Rocky Mountains are at the center of an escalating decline in population, far exceeding that of other regions of the country. Of particular concern is the effect of population loss among young, educated workers on the states’ economies, resulting in a brain drain that could leave the region lagging the rest of the nation for many years to come.
People & TBED Organizations
Kansas University has appointed Steve Warren as its first full-time vice provost for research and graduate studies.
TBED People
Clay Blair resigned as chairman of Kansas Bioscience Authority.
People
Sandy Johnson was promoted to CEO of the Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center.
Kansas Gov Puts TBED Programs in Jeopardy with Budget Request
Heartland Metros Launch Collaborative Economic Initiative
Leaders in Des Moines, Kansas City, Omaha and St. Louis have teamed up to leverage their respective resources and help build an economic mega-region in the center of the country. The Heartland Civic Collaborative will focus on four main areas of opportunity: transportation, federal advocacy, life science and entrepreneurship. In the coming months, the collaborative plans to begin work on an entrepreneurial metrics dashboard for the participating metros and a map of life sciences research assets.
Early Stage Capital Measures Pass in KS, TN, and WV, In Limbo for AZ and ND
A mixture of success and trepidation accompanied 2016 legislation introduced in several states to create, extend, or recapitalize angel tax credit programs. While legislation in Arizona’s legislature failed due to a lack of support, angel tax credit bills in Kansas and Tennessee passed easily with broad support from their governors, lawmakers, and the public. In North Dakota, the state’s angel tax credit program faces an unclear future due to concerns about transparency and oversight. To stimulate investments in West Virginia’s startup community, Gov.
Tech Talkin' Govs, Part II
KS, GA, NC and WA look to Increase Small Business Capital Using Securities Exemptions
Since 2011, three states (Kansas, Georgia and North Carolina) have enacted securities exemptions that allow their state's entrepreneurs and small businesses to raise up to $1 million dollars via the sale of securities to residents of the state — Washington lawmakers introduced similar legis
States Position Themselves to Compete in Domestic Drone Industry
While public debate rages over the role of surveillance in our society, one particularly infamous government surveillance technology, drones, is being prepared for private sector deployment in the U.S. Drone-related technologies are predicted to revolutionize commerce in the U.S., with industry projections valuing their initial deployment as an $82 billion boost to the national economy.
Voters Reject Tax Increases, Back Bonds for Higher Ed
While election night's main focus was on the presidential race, the importance of ballot measures for states and metros is growing as public services and budgets are being severely trimmed. A recent article in The New Republic reports on a new trend where states are embracing ballot measures as a potential source of dedicated funds for targeted investments in regional economic growth and development.
Looming Revenue Shortfalls Latest Challenge for Many States
Amid the economic uncertainty surrounding fiscal cliff negotiations, and what it means for states, some governors are erring on the side of caution when it comes to funding recommendations for the upcoming year. At the same time, several state budget officers are projecting significant revenue shortfalls in the current fiscal year or biennium as a result of lower than expected tax collections.
Research, Innovation and Education Initiatives Proposed in Kansas Budget
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius delivered her State of the State Address last week proposing new initiatives and continued funding for several TBED programs emphasizing education and innovation as key to the state’s future economy.
People
John Austin is the newly appointed executive director of the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan.
Tom Cech announced he will return to the University of Colorado at Boulder next year to pursue laboratory research and teaching after eight years as president of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Legislative Wrap-Up: Georgia and Kansas
Lawmakers in Georgia and Kansas recently approved scaled-back funding for their states' respective tech-based economic development (TBED) programs in the coming fiscal year. Although many states are struggling to fill large deficits in the aftermath of a national economic downturn, funding for TBED initiatives, even at reduced levels, continues to be a priority for most states as a means to grow and diversify the economy.
Georgia
Kansas Anticipates 30,000 Green Jobs by 2012
Kansas is home to more than 20,000 green jobs and expects that number to reach 30,000 by 2012, according to a recent survey by the state Department of Labor. The survey of 6,000 Kansas employers reveals that job growth in renewable energy, energy efficiency will drive green job numbers over the next two-to-three years. The biggest employment gains are expected in the renewable energy sector, which is expected to grow by 121 percent. Read the report ...
Job Corner
Job Corner
The Board of Directors of the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) seeks a Chief Executive Officer to lead the organization. The CEO is responsible for executing the agency's mission, including strategic development and cultivation of the region's innovation infrastructure. A minimum of a bachelor's degree plus ten or more year's employment in technology-based economic development with at least two years in a supervisory capacity is required.
Governor’s Budget Includes $5.9M for KTEC
Gov. Mark Parkinson last week unveiled his FY11 budget proposal, which includes $5.9 million from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund (EDIF) for the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC), down $1.8 million from the FY10 governor’s estimate of $7.75 million. Many of the governor’s budget recommendations, including funding for KTEC and university research initiatives, may hinge on a tax increase proposal, however.
Tech Talkin' Govs, Part I
Entering its tenth year covering governors’ State of the State, Budget and Inaugural Addresses, SSTI’s Tech Talkin’ Govs series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from across the nation. The first edition includes excerpts from speeches delivered in the following states:
Arizona
Gov. Janice Brewer, State of the State Address, Jan. 11, 2010