TBED Community of Practice
With support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), SSTI has launched a Tech-based Economic Development (TBED) Community of Practice.
This initiative builds the capacity of EDA grantees to achieve greater impacts for their regional innovation economies.
SSTI’s work emphasizes:
- Identifying and distributing best practices in structuring, measuring and planning TBED initiatives;
- Fostering community among grantees around types of TBED activities and target audiences/technologies; and,
- Facilitating communication with external stakeholders, including funders, clients and partners.
The TBED Community of Practice is for grantees across all EDA funding programs -- Build to Scale, Economic Adjustment Assistance, Public Works, Technical Assistance and more.
We have two easy ways to connect with the TBED Community of Practice:
- Sign up for more information at ssti.org/tbedcopinfo
- Contact SSTI's community of practice team at tbedcop@ssti.org.
This information is also available as a factsheet [pdf].
Subcommunities of Practice
SSTI is supporting subcommunities that focus on strategies within the field. Given the broad nature of the TBED field, we believe that fostering networks within more specific areas of practice will help achieve these goals. Learn more about the purpose of the subcommunities from these FAQs.
The three subcommunities availble at this time are: Entrepreneurship Development; Risk Capital; and, Lab-to-Market.
To register for a subcommunity of practice, complete this brief registration form letting us know what subcommunities and topics most interest you.
Community Events
Measuring the success of state commercialization programs
Mar. 20 @ 1pm ET | Free
How do you know if your technology commercialization programs are working? What are the right metrics for the type of initiative you're proposing? What sort of data should you be collecting? How are results presented in meaningful ways to stakeholders? In this TBED Community of Practice webinar, two experienced TBED practitioners will share insights on how to measure and demonstrate the success of state programs designed to move innovations out of the lab and into the marketplace.
Speakers
- John Hardin, Executive Director, Office of Science, Technology & Innovation, NC Department of Commerce
- Vinit Nijhawan, Managing Director, MassVentures
TBED Funding in the FY 2024 federal budget
April 25 @ 2pm ET | Free
Federal programs provide a key source of capital to launch or expand many tech-based economic development initiatives. During this TBED Community of Practice webinar, SSTI will provide an overview of key initiatives funded in the FY 2024 budget so you know where and when to look for opportunities in the coming year. The discussion will include programs at the Department of Energy, Economic Development Administration, National Science Foundation, Small Business Administration, and more. Feel free to message tbedcop@ssti.org if there are any specific programs you want us to cover.
SSTI's 2024 Annual Conference
Dec. 10-12 | Arizona
SSTI’s conference is the event for practitioners and policymakers working to strengthen their regions through science, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. People attend to meet peers from around the country, reconnect with old friends, learn what initiatives are working in other regions, and discuss trends that are important to the industry. In addition to thought-provoking keynotes, the agenda will include open forums and ample discussion so that you can share your perspective and have your questions answered.
Stay tuned to ssticonference.org for details or sign up to receive the latest updates.
Past Events
Recordings and slides from previous TBED Community of Practice webinars are available in SSTI's Webinar Library.
Research & Tools
Key Technology Area Investment Data Tool
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. Comprising two interactive visuals and a downloadable data file, this tool includes three investment data points by state, year (2013-2023), and investment stage (e.g., seed, angel, venture) for technology verticals that were selected to align with many of the key technology areas defined in the CHIPS and Science Act and included in the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Tech Hubs program.
Access the data tool.
Federal Funding Video Library
To help organizations that implement TBED strategies better-understand the wide variety of programs that can fund their work, SSTI has created the Federal Funding Video Library. Find brief explainer videos on the following programs:
- EDA Build to Scale Capital Challenge
- EDA Build to Scale Venture Challenge
- EDA STEM Talent Challenge
View the full Federal Funding Video Library.
SSTI is in the process of recording and editing additional videos. Suggest topics to tbedcop@ssti.org.
Note: The TBED Community of Practice is a project of SSTI using Federal funds under award ED22HDQ3070129 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations of resources on this page are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce