A full week after the Administration's budget request was released, NSF made available details on the foundation's $7.05 billion request. With the new information, SSTI is presenting below its summary regarding the NSF budget proposal's impact on programs of importance to state and regional TBED efforts. This profile, along with similar budget summaries of 17 other agencies, is available in an updated version of SSTI's Special Federal Budget Issue.

Earlier this year, Congress and President Obama, seeing an opportunity to stimulate the economy while improving the nation's digital infrastructure, set aside $7.2 billion for broadband programs in the 2009 Recovery Act (read SSTI's analysis of the Recovery Act in the February 19 issue). Citing the need for a modernized digital infrastructure to ensure U.S.

The Piedmont Triad Research Park laid off Bill Dean, director of the park, and Nancy Johnson, marketing director. Park officials said that the park's project manager and executive assistant also were laid off.

The lazy days of summer may be the most challenging time to keep students and teachers motivated and engaged in academics. Fortunately, several programs across the country have risen to the challenge. And, with the Obama Administration's pledge to make math and science education a national priority, now may be an opportune time for collaboration among federal and state agencies, private foundations, and industry to reverse the U.S. decline in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Over the past few months, several states have enacted spending plans for the upcoming fiscal year and passed legislation to support renewable energy initiatives and tax credits for R&D. While some TBED programs will face dramatic cuts in FY10, others are slated for slight decreases or will receive level funding. The following synopsis provides an overview of the 2009 legislative sessions across the following states:

Silicon Valley, a region often looked to for trends in the technology field, is expected to see a rise in the number of new high-tech incubators and the expansion of existing incubators in the coming months. A recent Wall Street Journal article points to these openings as a sign of revival for technology startup companies amid a relatively slow period last year as startup investment plunged during the recession.

The $29.3 billion total spending plan for FY11 outlined last week by Gov. Chris Christie eliminates or significantly reduces funding for business incentive programs, including InvestNJ and funding for high-tech business tax credits. In place of the programs, the New Jersey Partnership for Action would be established as a new one-stop-shop to assist businesses in relocation, retention and incentive development.

Between 2003 and 2007 R&D spending at U.S. small businesses increased by 38.8 percent, according to a recent National Science Foundation InfoBrief. During that period the share of U.S. R&D done by firms with fewer than 500 employees increased from 17.9 percent to 18.7 percent. R&D intensity at small firms also increased from 3.1 percent of company sales revenues to 8.6 percent. Read the NSF InfoBrief "Indicators of U.S.

$11.4 Million in Grants Available for Sustainable Software Communities
The National Science Foundation invites proposals for a new program, Software Infrastructure for Sustained Innovation. The goal is to transform innovations in research and education into sustained software resources that are an integral part of the cyberinfrastructure.
Read more...

Five bills in support of Gov. Bob McDonnell's "Jobs and Opportunity Agenda" were signed into law this week, including a measure to exempt the capital gains tax on investments in science-based or biotech startups, designed to provide a significant incentive for investors in technology start-ups.

Bryan Allinson has joined Ohio University as director of technology transfer.

Jeff Blodgett, Vice President of Research, at the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. is retiring.

The University of Virginia has named W. Mark Crowell, vice president for business development at The Scripps Research Institute, to the newly created position of executive director and associate vice president for innovation partnerships and commercialization.

Subra Suresh, dean of engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to be the next director of the National Science Foundation.

Eric Cromwell, president and CEO, and Dan Schmisseur, vice president of operations and strategy, have resigned from the Tennessee Technology Development Corporation.

A new state agency to promote innovation and job creation in New Jersey was established by Gov. Chris Christie earlier this year. Envisioned as a hub for all economic development activity, the New Jersey Partnership for Action consists of three interconnected organizations to promote the state's incentives and resources, develop pro-growth policies, and assist businesses in navigating government programs. The governor's promise of a more effective strategy for economic development activity comes at the same time of severe reductions to the state's technology-based initiatives, however.

The second installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs' series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Kansas, New Hampshire, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. Our first installment was in the Jan. 5 Digest.

New Jersey lawmakers last week approved several bills as part of the "Back to Work NJ" economic development and jobs plan proposed by Democratic legislative leaders. Among the measures approved is The New Jersey Angel Investor Tax Credit Act (S.2454) providing incentives to taxpayers who invest in emerging technology companies. Gov. Chris Christie has yet to take action on the package of the bills, which could cost the state up to $805 million in business subsidies and lost corporate tax revenue in the coming fiscal year, reports New Jersey Newsroom.

Maine Governor Paul LePage named Phillip Congdon as the new commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. Cogndon is a licensed professional engineer who spent more than 20 years with Texas Instruments in Dallas. He replaces Acting Commissioner Thaxter Trafton.

The sixth installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Connecticut, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey and North Carolina. The first five installments are available in the Jan. 5, Jan. 12, Jan. 19, Jan.

SSTI recently reported on two important bills passed by lawmakers in Michigan late last year and in New Jersey earlier this year that would provide incentives for taxpayers who invest in emerging technology companies. As an update to the Dec. 8, 2010 and Jan. 12, 2011 stories, both former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have taken action on the bills with opposing outcomes. Gov.

Recognizing the value in supporting companies that innovate to create high-quality jobs, governors in New Jersey and Louisiana recently outlined proposals to enhance tax incentives for R&D, technology commercialization, and transferable tax certificates during the upcoming legislative sessions. In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie proposed increasing the R&D tax credit to 100 percent and restoring full funding for the Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer program as part of his FY12 budget recommendations. Louisiana Gov.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich named James Leftwich as the director of the Ohio Department of Development, effective March 25. Leftwich has worked at the Dayton Development Coalition for six years, including three years as president and CEO. Leftwich will take the post previously held by Mark Kvamme, a California venture capitalist named the state's development director in January. Kvamme was appointed director of Job Creation within the governor's office, effective immediately.

Lawmakers approved many of Gov. Bob McDonnell's proposals aimed at growing Virginia's technology and life sciences industries by dedicating about half of the funding requested by the governor to support R&D, commercialization, SBIR matching grants, and funding for early stage equity investments.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland is seeking a dynamic and innovative biomedical/biotechnology expert to provide strategic leadership as the director of the newly created Office of Translational Alliances and Coordination (OTAC). The OTAC is charged with accelerating the translation of basic discoveries and innovations into new diagnostics, devices, and therapeutics, and facilitating the development of new technologies via SBIR initiatives.

Tuesday’s Republican victories in the gubernatorial races for New Jersey and Virginia mean a shift in political power for both states. With current fiscal conditions continuing to press state revenues lower and unemployment rolls higher, much of the new governors’ attentions could pass over tech-based economic development policies. Alternately, increased investments in TBED may be exactly what are needed right now to help create high-wage jobs in both states.

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell dropped his previous nomination, Robert Sledd, as his secretary for Commerce and Trade and instead nominated businessman James Cheng. Cheng, whose nomination needs to be confirmed by the Democratic-controlled Senate, was sworn in on January 17.