Higher education R&D expenditures, while continuing to steadily increase, have not grown evenly across state lines. This matters to successful TBED policymakers because a strong R&D enterprise within a state’s public and private institutions of higher education can and should provide a consistent source of skilled workers, new technology, and sources for innovation-driven business growth. So where is R&D growing?

The United States’ global competitiveness rank, as calculated by the International Institute of for Management Development, fell three points from 9th in 2023 to 12th in 2024. The nation’s ranking for government efficiency had an even sharper drop of nine points, from 25th in 2023 to 34th in 2024. In timely response to these trends, two federal advisory committees recently submitted reports outlining ways for the U.S.

The new Tech Hub awards from EDA and the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines (Engines) program support regions advancing a critical technology area with existing traction in their region but for proposers, identifying such areas is often challenging.

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

Note: This brief quasi-book review/book synopsis is the first item in an experimental new section of SSTI’s newsletter, potentially joining other regular sections such as Useful Stats, Fed/Leg News, State News, Member Updates, and Recent Research. Its periodic continuation after the contributions we present over the summer will depend on feedback from our members and Digest readers. Comments may be shared with skinner @ ssti.org

House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers recently published Reforming the National Institutes of Health: Framework for Discussion. The blueprint calls for reducing the number of NIH institutes and centers (ICs) from 27 to 15, largely by merging some of them. The reorganization and proposed funding levels are illustrated in Figure 1.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced plans to launch a 7(a) Working Capital Pilot (WCP) Program later this year. The program will offer a lines of credit, made by 7(a) lenders and backed by the SBA. It is designed to give greater flexibility than a traditional term loan.

Natcast, the nonprofit entity that operates the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) Consortium, recently launched the NSTC Workforce Partner Alliance (WFPA) program. ​The program seeks to address workforce challenges in the U.S. semiconductor industry by supporting projects that close skills and labor market gaps for researchers, engineers, and technicians in semiconductor design, manufacturing, and production.

The U.S. Department of Commerce recently issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to open a competition for new research and development (R&D) activities to accelerate domestic capacity for semiconductor advanced packaging.​ As part of CHIPS for America, the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program plans to invest up to $1.6 billion to fund innovation in five R&D areas related to semiconductor advanced packaging. ​

The European Union is engaged in a debate about changing its systems for R&D funding, the first potentially significant changes since its current framework program began in 1984. A group of 15 individuals from research and industry selected by the European Commission last year has submitted a report, Align, act, accelerate, which gives recommendations for overhauling the system.

When Tennessee reported on its first cohort of students after implementing Tennessee Promise, the nation’s first statewide free community college effort, SSTI reported on the program’s impressive early results. The graduation rate had increased over the previous year’s non-Promise cohort, and overall, 3,257 students in the 2015 cohort earned a degree or certificate within five semesters, an 82% increase over the pre-Promise 2014 group.

As SSTI reported earlier this fall in its series of articles on higher education, college tuition and student loan debt are rising.

Since the pandemic, those working on local prosperity through the nexus of science, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship—the four cornerstones of SSTI’s mission—have seen the largest investment yet by the federal government to catalyze and support their work. It awakened teams of organizations across the country in virtually every city, institution of higher education or region to start or improve innovation-centered economic development strategies.

While most of the country’s attention has been on the contests for control of the White House and Congress, eleven states and two territories, including Puerto Rico, held gubernatorial elections on Nov. 5.

NATCAST, the operator of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) tasked with bolstering the United States' semiconductor industry, announced Albany NY and Sunnyvale CA as the locations for two major R&D facilities. The funding comes from the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, legislation aimed at revitalizing American semiconductor manufacturing and research.

The Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program is often compared to the U.S. Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program. And, like the SBIR program, ISC has faced criticism from skeptics despite metrics that show the program delivers high returns on investment. When Canada’s Budget 2023 Initiative recommended reallocating 14.1 billion Canadian dollars (CAD) in federal spending, each Ministry was tasked to identify programs that did not address the government’s top priorities.

The Wisconsin Center of Manufacturing & Productivity (WCMP) recently released its fourth annual Wisconsin Manufacturing Report, a comprehensive overview of the state's manufacturing sector.

The TBED community, similarly to research scientists, faces communication challenges with elected officials, regional stakeholders, and even their friends and family. SSTI has conducted three surveys over the last nine years to uncover problematic jargon, illuminate alternative approaches, and inform our members’ communication strategies. At the SSTI Annual Conference, we'll present the latest results from a focus group and survey that will help the community communicate better with non-TBED audiences.

About three-quarters of Americans (76%) say they have either a great deal (26%) or a fair amount (51%) of confidence in scientists to act in the best interests of the public, according to a new Pew Research Center report.

Forty-one states and Puerto Rico voted on 151 statewide ballot measures this fall. Many measures focused on abortion, citizenship, or electoral system reforms. Three measures with direct connection to innovation all were approved by voters, augmenting the strong track record tech-based economic development initiatives have when they are placed directly before voters.

We’ve negotiated an extraordinary room rate for this year’s conference: $209 plus nominal taxes and fees at the conference venue, the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in the Gila River Indian Community within the Phoenix, Arizona Metro Region. But our negotiated rate expires once the room block fills or after Monday, November 18.

Reserve Your Room

Additionally, our registration closes on December 3, so why not check both these items off your to do list and do them now?

SSTI will continue the conversation about the SSBCI program at the Annual Conference. SSBCI director, Jeff Stout, will provide an update on the program in The latest on Treasury’s $10 billion investment in small businesses. The session will provide insights into Treasury's current thinking and to better understand how SSBCI might be better leveraged as a regional resource. SSBCI outreach team member Karl Fooks will moderate the session, How regions are adapting to trends in equity investment.

The United States Department of the Treasury’s (Treasury) new 2022-2023 State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) 2.0 Annual Report highlights the nearly $10 billion program to enhance access to capital for small businesses, particularly those in underserved communities.

The Association of University Research Parks (AURP) recognized Dan Berglund, SSTI president, with a Career Achievement Award at its International Conference earlier this month. In a press release, AURP said, "Through the course of his SSTI career, Dan’s leadership has made a significant contribution to the advancement and recognition of the innovation ecosystem, including the Innovation Advocacy Council.”

SSTI extends a huge “thank you” to all of the organizations partnering with us to make SSTI’s 2024 Annual Conference a success! Please take a moment now to learn more about our partners here and then be sure to visit them in person this December.