State S&T Policy and Economic Development: Strategies for Increasing Federal R&D Performance Presented by: Dan Berglund President & CEO SSTI

SSTI Mission –Enhance initiatives, particularly those at the state level, that encourage economic growth through the application of science and technology –Advance cooperation in science and technology between the states and the federal government Funders –Carnegie Corporation –MEP, EDA –More than 60 states & affiliates

Elements for Tech Cluster Intellectual infrastructure Spillovers of knowledge –from universities –from informal networks Physical infrastructure Technically skilled workforce Capital Entrepreneurial culture Quality of life

Developing a Strategy Must be tailored to state's unique/specific challenges –Research capacity, composition, and competencies –Attitudes toward federal contracting, partnering, info sharing, etc. –Support infrastructure capacity, strengths and limitations –Public/private financial support potential (particularly given budget environment) Borrowing successful approaches elsewhere doesn't work unless you are addressing same challenges as those states -- key is to know why things work before copying

Understanding the Challenges Inventory who is receiving what from whom –Where is the money going? –Who is receiving it? –What is working? Determine trends in support Understand what is occurring at the federal level Consider ATP, SBIR award data

Answers needed for: number of proposals submitted number of companies putting in proposals and who types of proposals and to which agencies success ratios results of the debriefings -- critical! contract negotiations and award timing follow-on activities: –what happens with the R&D that is funded? –what happens with the R&D that isn't funded? What aspects of the federal R&D process are strengths or weaknesses? Strategy design should be influenced by these factors. Proposal assistance efforts should be tailored to the trends in debriefings. Understanding the Challenges (cont'd)

Characterize state's industrial communities (by sector) –Openness to working with federal government? universities? each other? –Educational credentials and credibility –Knowledge of federal R&D procurement, politics, earmarks… –Technical and logistical sophistication

Alternate Approaches Different issues warrant different approaches Challenge: Awareness and proposal development in geographic areas with limited technological competence Model: Wyoming SBIR Initiative (Chris Busch) Challenge: Proposal development assistance and federal R&D support with no/limited public financial support Model: WISBIC Challenge: Encouraging pursuit of federal R&D through monetary incentives Models: Proposal preparation grants in various states; CalTIP matching grants

Alternate Approaches (cont’d) Challenge: Overcoming distance, unfamiliarity with federal labs, agency personnel Models: Arizona DOC trips to labs, Maine SBIR field trips, Ohio’s Wright Lab/NASA days Challenge: Fostering entrepreneurship Model: GA ATDC Faculty Commercialization Research Program, OK Tech. Commercialization Center Challenge: Successful Phase II conversion or Phase III commercialization Model: Mentoring initiatives

For More Information Dan Berglund State Science & Technology Institute 5015 Pine Creek Drive Westerville, OH / To sign up for SSTI Weekly Digest and Funding Opportunities go to: