Kansas Commercialization Centers to Help Companies with Equipment Needs
The Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) has initiated a program to help technology-based start-up companies locate and obtain equipment needed for their operations.
The Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) has initiated a program to help technology-based start-up companies locate and obtain equipment needed for their operations.
With an eye toward helping to make Kansas City a leading center for biomedical research, James Stower Jr., founder of American Century mutual funds, and his wife are donating $1.114 billion to the Stowers Institute of Medical Research. The donation is considered one of the five largest philanthropic gifts in history.
Richard Bendis, president and chief executive officer of the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC), has accepted an offer to lead the newly created Innovation Philadelphia Corporation. Mr. Bendis has been involved with KTEC since the organization was created in 1987. He was appointed to the KTEC board of directors by the Governor and served as the board’s first chairman. Mr. Bendis served as interim president in 1994 before being named president in 1995.
The Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) has released the Kansas Innovation Index 1999. The major finding of the report is that "Kansas has a realistic opportunity to create a competitive advantage for economic growth and high wage industries by supporting its emerging innovation economy."
The Mid-America Commercialization Corporation (Manhattan, Kansas) announced that the Eaton Corporation is donating a substantial portfolio of patented technologies for the benefit of the corporation and Kansas State University.
A Wichita, Kansas-based venture capital firm seeks a broadly qualified leader to commercialize technology, develop start-up businesses, manage pre-seed and seed capital funds, and raise capital. Resumes with a personal statement of interest and five professional references to Mary Breakstone at the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC). The full position description is available on the SSTI home page at www.ssti.org
Kenneth Lynn has been appointed president of KCCatalyst. Lynn formerly was a consultant to biotechnology companies assisting in technology acquisition, strategic planning, and commercial development.
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius named Howard Fricke to serve as secretary of the state's Commerce Department.
Sandy Johnson was promoted to CEO of the Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has appointed former Kansas Gov. John Carlin to the Kansas Bioscience Authority.
The Kansas Bioscience Authority named Thomas Thornton as its first president and CEO.
The metaphor of a pipeline is often used for describing the innovation process and, specifically, the health of a regional innovation system. Sustaining knowledge-based growth requires a steady flow of ideas, people and capital. Often, the flow can be weak in one of these areas -- or clogged by other factors such as lack of key resources or programs.
Joni Cobb is the first president of KTEC Pipeline, Kansas's new technology entrepreneurship fellowship program.
The Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp. promoted Kevin Carr to the position of chief operations officer.
Angela Kreps is the first president of the year-old Kansas Bioscience Organization.
The Kansas City region is obtaining funding for high-tech research in the life sciences, but entrepreneurship is stifled because of fragmented efforts to improve the innovation environment and the region’s lack of an overall strategy for its various stakeholders. This finding and others were identified in Completing the Puzzle: Creating a High-Tech and Life Sciences Economy in Kansas City, a recent report prepared for the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program.
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.
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.
Kevin Carr was named CEO of Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp., after serving as interim leader since June 2009. KTEC is a public-private partnership charged with promoting tech-based economic development throughout the state.
Complete descriptions of this opportunity and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.
Capturing national attention for initiating successful programs to sustain the nation’s position as a global leader for innovation and competitiveness, six organizations were named recipients of SSTI’s 2009 Excellence in TBED Award. The third annual awards follow a nationwide competition recognizing outstanding achievements in tech-based economic development (TBED) emphasizing impact, strategic value and replicability.
The economic circumstances leading up to SSTI’s 13th annual conference make this year’s event critical. We encourage you to join us in Overland Park, Kansas, October 21 – 23, 2009 to Seize the Moment.
If we have no map, does that mean we’re lost? Hardly. But given the economic turmoil affecting every crossroad of the country, some folks may be having a hard time seeing which road leads in the right direction. This year’s conference will feature two speakers at the forefront of TBED research who will share their insight on how states and regions can prepare themselves for the challenges ahead.
SSTI’s pre-conference workshops have received high praise from past participants because of their personalized nature, their dedication to sharing knowledge, and their opportunities to forge worthwhile relationships with other participants. The two pre-conference sessions scheduled on Wednesday, October 21 are no different and will provide plenty of value for those in attendance.
One of the best takeaways from the SSTI Annual Conference is the personal contacts one can make over the course of the event. Whether it’s chatting with a peer who has led successful economic development initiatives, breaking bread with fund managers at our scheduled Dine-A-Rounds, exchanging contact information with our conference speakers, or playing tennis with a myriad of people in the Wii Room, the upcoming conference will provide plenty of opportunities to make friends and meet other leaders who share your background and hopes for the future.