Excerpt

Most of the policy discussion about stimulating innovation has focused on the federal level. This study focuses on the significant activity at the state level, with the goal of improving the public’s understanding of key policy strategies and exemplary practices. Based on a series of workshops and conferences that brought together policymakers along with leaders of industry and academia in a select number of states, the study highlights a rich variety of policy initiatives underway at the state and regional level to foster knowledge based growth and employment. Perhaps what distinguishes this effort at the state level is most of all the high degree of pragmatism. Operating out of necessity, innovation policies at the state level often involve taking advantage of existing resources and recombining them in new ways, forging innovative partnerships among universities, industry and government organizations, growing the skill base, and investing in the infrastructure to develop new technologies and new industries. Many of these initiatives are being guided by leaders from the private sector and universities.

The objective of the study is not to do an empirical review of the inputs and outputs of various state programs. Nor is it to evaluate which programs are superior. Indeed, some of the notable successes, such as the Albany nanotechnology cluster, represent a leap of leadership, investment, and sustained commitment that has had remarkable results in an industry that is actively pursued by many countries. The study’s goal is to illustrate the approaches taken by a variety of highly diverse states as they confront the increasing challenges of global competition for the industries and jobs of today and tomorrow.

Contents

• THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
• Committee on Competing in the 21st Century: Best Practice in State and Regional Innovation Initiatives
• Preface
• Executive Summary
  • OBSERVATIONS FROM THE CASES
• I. INNOVATION AND PLACE-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
  • 1. Innovation in the States
    • PARAMETERS OF THIS STUDY
    • STATE-LED DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATION CLUSTERS
    • IDENTIFYING BEST PRACTICES
    • OVERVIEW OF THE REPORT
  • 2. State and Regional Development and Clustering
    • NATURAL DEVELOPMENTAL ADVANTAGES ENJOYED BY STATES AND REGIONS
    • THE INNOVATION CLUSTER PHENOMENON
    • “HISTORY MATTERS”— PATH DEPENDENCY AND PATH CREATION
    • THE IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
    • LESSONS LEARNED
• II. THE CATALYTIC ROLE OF PUBLIC PURPOSE ORGANIZATIONS
  • 3. Universities as Innovation Drivers
    • UNIVERSITIES AND INDUSTRIALIZATION
    • THE EMERGENCE OF COOPERATIVE RESEARCH CENTERS
    • CHALLENGES FACING PUBLIC RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES
    • HARNESSING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AS AN ENGINE OF GROWTH
    • THE GROWING ROLE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES
    • LESSONS LEARNED
  • 4. State Strategies for Innovation
    • FROM INDUSTRIAL RECRUITMENT TO SCIENCE-BASED DEVELOPMENT
    • THE MICHIGAN BATTERY INITIATIVE
    • LESSONS LEARNED
  • 5. The Federal Dimension
    • FEDERAL FUNDING OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
    • THE FEDERAL ROLE IN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING
    • THE IMPACT OF FEDERAL PATENTS AND ANTITRUST POLICY
    • INTERNATIONAL TRADE POLICY
    • GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT
    • LESSONS LEARNED
• III. REVIEW OF SELECTED STATE AND REGIONAL PRACTICES
  • 6. Rebuilding Ohio’s Innovation Economy
    • REVIVAL FOLLOWING A GENERATION OF ECONOMIC DECLINE
    • STATE GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
    • NEW INITIATIVES IN NORTHEAST OHIO
    • GROWING THE CLEVELAND BIOMEDICAL CLUSTER
    • GROWING A CLUSTER IN FLEXIBLE ELECTRONICS
    • YOUNGSTOWN—SOFTWARE AND ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
    • THE TOLEDO PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) CLUSTER
    • OHIO’S CHALLENGE AHEAD
    • LESSONS LEARNED
  • 7. The New York Nanotechnology Initiative
    • UPSTATE NEW YORK: THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGE
    • THE SEMICONDUCTOR ADVANTAGE—AND CHALLENGE
    • NEW YORK’S OPPORTUNITY
    • THE COLLEGE OF NANOSCALE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (CNSE)
    • RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
    • GLOBALFOUNDRIES
    • THE GLOBAL 450 CONSORTIUM
    • START-UPS
    • NANO BEYOND MICROELECTRONICS
    • SEMICONDUCTORS: THE ON-GOING CHALLENGE FROM ABROAD
    • LESSONS LEARNED
  • 8. New Initiatives in Illinois and Arkansas
    • GROWING A BIOTECHNOLOGY CLUSTER IN ILLINOIS
    • DEVELOPING ARKANSAS’ WORKFORCE AND WIND POWER
    • LESSONS LEARNED
• IV. Bibliography
• V. Annex A Stanford and Silicon Valley
• VI. ANNEX B North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park

This study was supported by: Contract/Grant No. DE-DT0000236, TO #28 (base award DE-AM01-04PI45013), between the National Academy of Sciences and the Department of Energy; and Contract/Grant No. N01-OD-4-2139, TO #250 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institutes of Health. This report was prepared by the National Academy of Sciences under award number SB134106Z0011, TO# 4 (68059), from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This report was prepared by the National Academy of Sciences under award number 99-06-07543-02 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Economic Development Administration, or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.