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A handful of showcase events across the country are known widely by mere nicknames, gather lots of media attention, and attract tens of thousands of people or more each year. Can a state’s lead technology-based economic development stand out in this kind of crowd? Is it worth the investment to try? 

April 16, 2025, 2:00pm EDT
Free, registration required

Wednesday, March 19, 3:00 pm EDT | Zoom
No charge; registration required.

The launch of a new private equity firm in central Ohio is a reminder of the continuing ripple effects of a decades-long strategy of cultivating an innovation system. If the State of Ohio hadn’t created and provided sustained funding over decades for its integrated array of technology-based economic development programs, the founders of a newly launched private equity firm wouldn’t be in the position now to commit to helping more mid-market companies succeed in central Ohio.

January 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET | Zoom

January 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET | Zoom

Are you tired of your organization's impact going unnoticed? Join our webinar to discover how to use compelling, attention-grabbing impact reports to tell your success stories in a way that resonates with funders, media, and the public. You’ll hear from three types of organizations with three very different funding models.

Our expert panel will share real-world examples of TBED organizations using impact reports to

• secure funding,
• boost media coverage,
• strengthen partnerships, and
• elevate their reputation.

Learn how to

Despite recent attacks on affirmative action and diversity, equity, and inclusion, the TBED community continues to work toward broadening participation in innovation driven growth.

July 25 at 3pm ET | Free

Immigrant talent is a key driver of innovation in technology and entrepreneurship. However, navigating and understanding the many legal options available can be challenging. Join this TBED Community of Practice webinar to learn about pathways for TBED immigration, including lesser-known tools and under-utilized features of common immigration paths.

Speakers:
Sophie Alcorn, Founder & CEO of Alcorn Law
Doug Rand, Senior Advisor to the Director of USCIS

SSTI has released a new video in our Federal Funding Video Library featuring Trent Thompson, economic development representative with the Economic Development Administration’s Denver Regional Office. In this interview, we discuss how EDA’s Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) funds can be leveraged to support technology-based economic development (TBED) activities.

May 21, 2024, 3:00 p.m. ET

Ecosystem mapping facilitates clear communication about the resources, support programs, and key players available to entrepreneurs and innovators in a region. For TBED organizations, it is also a valuable tool for identifying potential partners, facilitating referral networks, and uncovering new strategic opportunities. However, keeping these maps current and reflective of a region’s growing and evolving economic landscape can be a challenge.

Which should be more valuable for an economic development minded investment program?

Many federal funding programs have the potential to support technology-based economic development (TBED) initiatives, even when technology and innovation aren’t their explicit focus. This is the case with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). SSTI recently sat down with Christy Johnson, ARC program analyst, to learn how three of ARC’s funding opportunities can support TBED activities in the Appalachian region.

Editor’s note (April 4, 2024): This article has been updated to reflect relevant programs included in the second of two FY 2024 omnibus appropriations bills.

Two senior leaders of state programs designed to help commercialize new intellectual property joined a TBED CoP webinar last week to discuss how they determine whether those initiatives are successful. John Hardin, executive director of the Office of Science, Technology & Innovation at the NC Department of Commerce, described the One NC Small Business Program and the evaluation process the office performs each year. They use surveys of award recipients and econometric analysis to demonstrate the program’s effectiveness.

In a webinar last week, staff from BioSTL and SSTI shared their organizations’ use of Salesforce for grant management and reporting. It facilitated a lively discussion among the more than 100 attendees about technical and practical challenges and solutions for the platform. The presentation and recording are now available here.

Leaders within the largest city in the United States, and one of the most influential in the world, recognize the daunting challenges resulting from New York City’s vulnerability to climate change—evidenced already in violent storms, flooding, and rising sea levels—as well as the economic opportunity that comes in combating the negative impacts of that change and reducing the city’s contributions to further temperature rise.

Editor’s note: SSTI is committed to helping its members create economies that are equitable and inclusive. The following article is part of a series highlighting how different organizations ensure all people within their communities can benefit from today’s economy and lessons learned in their work.

Reminder!

The TBED Community of Practice webinar is coming up next week! 

Interactive Webinar: Lessons Learned in TBED Grant Management—December 5, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Congratulations on winning federal funding! Are you ready to manage it? A first federal award can be a significant challenge for organizations. Even experienced groups can hit snags when working with new agencies that may use different rules or definitions.

SSTI has released a new data tool that defines investment activity, one indicator of the vibrancy of a region’s innovation economy, in each of 18 technology areas.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced 60 organizations receiving $53 million from the Build to Scale program today. This is the program’s 10th and largest award cycle, following years of consistent appropriations growth from Congress.