| Funding & Research Announcements |
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The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) has launched the new Maine Technology Asset Fund, financed by $50 million of the research and economic development bond that Maine voters approved in November 2007.
Awards must be used for capital and infrastructure expenditures, such as facilities and equipment, for research development and commercialization activities in Maine's seven technology sectors. Universities and colleges, nonprofit organizations and for-profit businesses may all apply. The award criteria are weighted to encourage collaboration among organizations to work together to move new technologies to market.
Applications will be reviewed competitively according to five criteria: economic impact, scientific merit, project team and institution, relevance to Maine's innovation economy and collaboration. A Request for Applications has been released with information about the program and the process for applying for funds, which is posted on the MTI Web site at www.mainetechnology.org.
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Planning is underway for the NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Program. One RII award per state is allowed per five-year period, up to $3 million per year. Maine's next eligibility is FY2009.
April 4 is the deadline for submission of preproposals. Participants will need to work directly with the Maine NSF EPSCoR office on these. For more information, contact Vicki.nemeth@umit.maine.edu.
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The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration announced a $10 million competition to build the capacity of the energy industry by providing potential workers with skills-based training at the regional level. More information, is at www.grants.gov. The competition will close March 25, 2008. SGA-DFA-PY-07-07.
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The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), announced the availability of approximately $10 million in grant funds for the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Opportunities in the Workforce System Initiative (STEM Initiative). These grants will be awarded through a two-phased competitive process to primarily expand and align current and new STEM workforce education and training strategies, activities, and resources in One Stop Career Centers to promote, attract, and prepare disadvantaged youth and dislocated workers for STEM careers, while simultaneously enhancing the competitive position of local and regional employers. (SGA-DFA-PY-07-03; due March 11, 2008). See www.grants.gov.
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Director of Office of Innovation
Catherine Renault highlights networking opportunities and underscores
Office of Innovation activities.
After one year in Maine, I remain optimistic about our opportunities to continue to grow an innovation-based economy. The Comprehensive R&D Evaluation and Innovation Index just released show that we've made solid progress in growing our research capacity in the state, especially when compared with our situation in the mid-1990s when the current investment began. With the $50 million Technology Asset Fund enabled by the R&D bond approved by the Legislature and the voters in 2007, we now have the opportunity to competitively award future investments in infrastructure that will enable not only research and development, but encourage collaboration and commercialization of our research results. Next month, we'll be reporting on new research about our technology clusters, providing even more data on which to base future investment decisions.
It's clear already that our challenges are formidable, however, especially with the current economic situation. But we know that our investments in R&D, especially those made by MTI, the Patent Program, the Tech Centers and the Small Enterprise Growth Fund, have leveraged an 18:1 return in terms of economic impact compared to state funds. Further, we know that technology-intensive companies like those served by these programs grow substantially faster than the average Maine company and pay higher wages. This is the sector that needs more investment if we are to grow out of the challenges presented by Maine's traditional reliance on low-tech services and manufacturing.
Through our research, we can identify a number of key areas that need to be addressed:
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We need more students to come out of our K-12 system with the desire to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The awesome STEM Summit just held has kicked off a multi-pronged effort to address this issue. Hopefully, this will in turn focus on the need for more science and engineering graduate students.
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We need more entrepreneurial support focused on the unique needs of technology-intensive companies, both start-ups and those trying to grow. The existing resources either lack appropriate skills or are underfunded and lack capacity.
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We need to focus more on technology transfer capacity at our universities and nonprofit labs. We know there is pent-up intellectual property and entrepreneurial interest, but resource constraints are holding back progress here as well.
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Venture capital continues to be a big problem in the state. The fastest growing companies require this kind of specialized equity which is in short supply in Maine.
We at OOI are looking forward to working with all to address these issues in the year ahead.
Upcoming events of note:
Entrepreneurship Week is February 23-March 1, 2008. See
www.eweekmaine.com for announcements of events throughout the state.
Biomass 2008: Fueling Our Future will be held April 17 and 18 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center in Virginia. For more information, se www.biomas2008.com.
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Maine Office of Innovation Newsletter
Welcome to the February issue of Mainely Innovations. This monthly e-newsletter is designed to capture information important to Maine's innovation community. We encourage you to contribute your news and highlights. Submit your info to jennifer.dechant@maine.gov. |
Company News
Hogdgon Yachts
On January 11, 2008, the prototype Mark V.1 vessel was launched at Hodgdon Yachts in East Boothbay. This project represents the first opportunity to bring a whole new class of boat construction to Maine - combatant craft for the Navy and Special Operations. This new vessel, which will eventually replace the existing Mark V craft now used by NAVY Seals and other special warfare forces, is Hodgdon's first build for the military since the Korean War.
Significantly, this project also represents the application of technology to a centuries-old traditional industry. The Hodgdon team worked closely with the Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center at the University of Maine at Orono to use carbon/Kevlar composite construction to deliver a vessel that is improved dramatically over the existing boat. This is the first high-tech carbon/epoxy boat of this size built for the military. The vessel will now be sea-tested.
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Policy, Research & Resources
Check for information on federal resources and research that will impact Maine and could impact your work in science and technology.
The 2007 Comprehensive Research and Development (R&D) Evaluation and 2008 Maine Innovation Index were released January 30, 2008. They show that Maine is making steady progress in growing the state's R&D capacity with positive economic impact particularly in the private sector.
The report to the Office of Innovation is the seventh in a series by PolicyOne Research, Inc., and RTI International. It is still the only annual, comprehensive evaluation of its type among all states. The National Governors Association said last year that Maine was "leading the way in developing effective performance measures for R&D funds."
The evaluation highlights the positive economic impact on the companies served by the state's R&D support programs such as the Maine Technology Institute, the Maine Patent Program and the Technology Centers. State investment leveraged almost 18 times as much in new economic activity.
§ The growth of employment in the R&D companies that responded to the survey was more than five times the average for all Maine businesses.
§ The average wage paid by
respondent companies is $37,140, approximately 15% higher than the average state wage.
§The firms responding to the
survey reported a 9% growth in overall revenues, almost 80% from customers outside of Maine, bringing important new dollars into the state.
Maine's position in R&D in relation to other states has increased from 49th in 1997 before the state started investing, to 41st today. From 2001- 2005, the state's industry R&D ranking moved from 35th to 32nd. Maine excels in other rankings: 3rd among the states in nonprofit R&D (e.g., The Jackson Laboratory, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Bigelow Labs and the Foundation for Blood Research), 13th in entrepreneurial activity and 15th in SBIR awards. The state is in the lower third on academic R&D performance, venture capital, patents and science and engineering graduate student enrollments.
The evaluation also listed recommendations, such as to continue to support R&D and innovation investments and increase investments to proven models, to accelerate the rate of commercialization and to enhance support for entrepreneurial development, including the amount of start-up capital available through programs such as the proposed Fund of Funds.
To read the complete 2007 Comprehensive R&D Evaluation, go to www.maineinnovation.com.
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New research by University of Maine economists argues that the economic development benefits from the creative economy are driven largely by the use of technology. Economist Todd Gabe and
colleagues Kristen Colby and Kathleen Bell concluded that policymakers hoping to raise wages in Maine through the creative economy should consider focusing their efforts on computer specialists, engineers and scientists. They say, "Current creative economy initiatives supporting the arts should not be an end, but a means to grow technology in the state." For more information, see http://bangornews.com.
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Universities represent key economic development assets for states and regions, but few have been used to their full potential. The University of North Carolina system created the UNC Tomorrow initiative to identify how teaching, research, scholarship and public service can be adapted to meet changing state needs. UNC System President Erskine Bowles established a Blue Ribbon Commission in 2007 after a study found disconnects between the needs of the emerging industries and cluster in NC and the curriculum of the state's universities and community colleges.
The UNC Tomorrow model is expected to create a "Demand-Driven University". For more information, see www.nctomorrow.org.
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An emerging approach to identifying, funding and commercializing university-based innovation is proving quite effective at seeding new companies, according to research conducted by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Max Planck Institute of Economics.
According to the Kauffman Foundation, "proof of concept centers" are an effective vehicle to help launch the commercialization of university innovation and to fill the seed-stage funding gap for new technologies.
Proof of concept centers provide seed funding to university-based early stage research as well as a host of advisory services and educational initiatives to assist students and faculty with market research, mentoring, development and testing of innovations, preparation of business plans and connections to the commercial market.
According to the report, a successful proof of concept center benefits from locating at universities that produce innovative and marketable technology, are located within a strong external network of investors and innovators and have an administrative team and advisors with a depth of commercialization expertise. A unified approach of providing seed funding, advisory services with industry connections and educational initiatives also is vital to ensure the commercialization of university technology.
A copy of the paper is available at www.kaufmann.org.
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CARRIED FORWARD FROM LAST SESSION
■ LD 833 An Act To Support the Maine Patent Program
Passed (again) by full legislature in Jan 2008. Placed on Appropriations Table.
■LD 1215 An Act To Attract
New Capital for Innovative Businesses through Equity Investment in Maine
Work Session set for Feb 7 at BRED Committee.
NEW
■LD 2078 Resolve, To
Determine Methods of Securing a Trained Laboratory Workforce for Maine
Public Hearing Jan 31 at BRED. Work session Feb 7 at BRED.
■ LD 2159 (LR 3320) An Act to Advance the Maine Economy
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Each newsletter will present information relevant to Company News, Funding & Research Announcements, Policy, Research & Resources along with Legislative Updates. Please feel free to contribute news and information relevant to your work. Forward your information to jennifer.dechant@maine.gov. Maine Office of Innovation | |
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