Sixty-five companies entered the pitch competition held last week at the Juice 3.0 conference in Camden. Ranging from scalable businesses to non-profits and Main Street businesses, the entrepreneurs had the opportunity to meet with coaches and hone their delivery on Friday before the top 25 pitched to the judges on Saturday morning, and the final six endured the "Shark Tank" on Saturday afternoon.
Finalists in the scalable business category included Abierto Networks, Cerahelix, Refill Management, and Ne� Naturals (formerly Zum). Two of these companies, and the ultimate winner, Newfield Design, are all graduates of the Top Gun and/or the Campus Ventures program run by Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development (MCED).
|
SBIR Reauthorization Still in the Offing
The SBIR and STTR programs were extended with the continuing resolution, but will still expire in late November if specific reauthorization is not completed. Insiders say that the White House is pushing for a compromise between House and Senate versions of the reauthorization, and so are key legislators. We'll keep you posted.
|
Corporate Tax Breaks Don't Create Jobs
A study released by a Senate panel concluded that a law giving US corporations a huge tax break to bring foreign profits back home did nothing to create jobs. The study found that firms that took advantage of the tax break actually cut jobs and research spending, while raising stock buybacks and executive pay. You can read the whole report here.
|
News from Innovation Policyworks
My colleague, Jim Damicis at Camoin Associates, and I have just completed an Innovation Index for the Rhode Island Science and Technology Council and the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. You can read the article about the announcement and click through to the final report here.
I have also been in Charlottesville, VA, doing a Technology Asset Inventory for the Thomas Jefferson Partnership region. I visited with old friends at the University of VIrginia and was enthusiastic at the changes they are making in the technology transfer arena. More to come on this.
This week I participated on two panels at the 15th annual State Science and Technology Institute conference, one on infusing technology into manufacturing companies and one on measuring impact through surveys.
Innovation Policyworks, LLC, is an innovation strategy and evaluation firm focused on the development and measurement of effective state and regional technology-based policies and programs.
|