Tecna jobs and innovation ecosystems 6-1-2011

Jobs and Innovation Ecosystems – Implementation within TECNA Regions – June 1, 2011 © TECNA 2011 1

Jobs and Innovation Ecosystems

- Implementation within TECNA Regions -

June 1, 2011

Principal author:

Jack Antonich

President, Sales Leverage Group

Support and consultation from: Matthew Nemerson

President, Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) 2009-2011

President & CEO, Connecticut Technology Council


Table of Contents

I. Introduction/Background - page 3

National Focus on programs aimed at creating jobs

The White House – Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP)

Economic Development Administration (EDA)

State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI)

II. The Regional Innovation Ecosystem - page 4

Focus on Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Collaboration

The Regional Innovation Acceleration Network (RIAN)

Regions

Assets

Organizations

Funding

Metrics

III. TECNA – Member Highlights - page 18

Involvement in Innovation Ecosystems

Mission

Selected examples of successful situations:

IV. Developing a Model(s)/Template(s) - page 35

V. Observations/Best Practices/Summary - page 40

VI. Thank you to TECNA members who participated - page 43


I. Introduction/Background

There have been many calls for answers to the question: What can we, as a nation, do to satisfy the

need to create jobs for our citizens and restore our economy to a robust condition? Until recently,

there has not been clarity surrounding this issue, and countries, world-wide, have continued to grapple

with trying to identify and implement the actions that must be taken to move forward.

On January 31, 2011, the White House announced a new initiative called Startup America and an

associated public/private effort named Startup America Partnership. The primary goal of these

programs is to increase the number of new high-growth firms; the ones that spur economic growth,

promote innovation, and create jobs.

For detailed information, visit: www.StartupAmerica.org and www.StartupAmericaPartnership.org.

Startup America puts the emphasis on three ingredients for success: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and

Collaboration.

In line with this direction, the U.S. Department of Commerce’ Economic Development Administration

(EDA) has provided the State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI) in Columbus, OH, with a grant to

work on describing and planning for implementation of a Regional Innovation Acceleration Network

(RIAN)

This project melds with the thrust of Startup America in that it is focused on determining the

requirements for creating an environment that is conducive to entrepreneurial development, and

supports the start-up and growth of companies that have the potential to develop innovative products

and services and scale to a size that will produce a significant number of job opportunities.

EDA’s mission is to assist underserved regions. There are approximately 350 identified regions in the

United States. Of those, a small percentage of large regions have made significant strides toward

building Innovation Ecosystems. The plan would be to learn from those that have demonstrated

success and assemble information, guidelines and best practices; and possibly create models that

would be useful to regions that have not yet developed in this area.

John R. Fernadez, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, in testimony to the

U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade 3/3/11,

described the EDA’s Jobs and Innovation Partnership program as being designed to “increase the

effectiveness of EDA’s investments by cultivating public/private partnerships and supporting strategies

that capitalize on regional assets and collaboration to create jobs and encourage business expansion.”

The EDA RIAN project, in support of EDA’s goals and objectives, is focused on two main areas: The

Innovation Ecosystem and the Assets it comprises.


II. The Regional Innovation Ecosystem

The word ecosystem is an apt metaphor describing the inter-relationships and inter-dependencies of

elements within an environment. When applied to an economy, it relates to all the people and

organizations that add value in the economic system to produce income and wealth accumulation that

ultimately contributes to the prosperity of all. In some regions it is referred to as an Innovation,

Entrepreneurial, Business or Economic Ecosystem or possibly Tech-based economy or Tech Based

Economic Development (TBED).

The differences appear to reflect individual focus. For example, one area might want to emphasize the

tech sector which is looked to for coming up with new ideas and commercialization prospects. In

another area, the thinking and message may be more focused on attracting and encouraging

entrepreneurs who they want to start and grow businesses. (see Figure 1.)

Clusters, for instance, typically have an industry orientation such as Software/IT, Bioscience,

Manufacturing, etc. but, in some instances, reference will be made to Innovation Clusters which may

be more general, in nature. (see Figure 2.)

For example, the Administration’s initiatives describe Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs) as “a

geographically-bounded, active network of similar, synergistic or complementary organizations which

leverage their region’s unique competitive strengths to create jobs and broader prosperity.”

When innovation is viewed by the scientific or academic community, the emphasis would probably be

on research and development, invention and scientific breakthrough. For instance a PowerPoint

presentation given by Thomas W. Peterson AD, Engineering titled “Creating an Innovation Ecosystem”

10/29/2009 puts forth the idea of “NFS Centers as a Hub for Regional Innovation Clusters’” states that

“University Research is key and that Faculty are involved along the innovation continuum, working with

industry at all stages.”

However, a business person’s view of Innovation might be very different. In 2006, in an IBM survey,

765 business leaders and CEOs were asked to identify the most significant sources of innovative ideas.

Many business leaders said employees, business partners, and customers—and far fewer identified

internal R&D, sales, or service units. (see Figure 4.)

In any event, there are more similarities than differences in their objectives, and what is identified

within a region as being the necessary ingredients to accomplish them. For simplicity sake, we will use

the term “Innovation Ecosystem” in this report but it is intended to reflect most of what would be

included in ecosystems, networks or clusters that are labeled differently.


Five Key Components to Consider When Defining Unique Regional Assets

ECONOMIC

BASE

ENTRE-

PRENEURSHIP

TALENT

INNOVATION

& IDEAS

Location, Infrastructure, Amenities,

Factor Costs, Natural Resources

The basic conditions defining the

economic milieu of the region

Your capacity to create

companies wholly new

or from existing firms

Your capacity to

innovate and generate

new ideas

What you make,

including your existing

& prospective industry

clusters

What you do: your

workforce skills &

human capital base

Regional Innovation Clusters

EDA

Figure 1. Innovation Ecosystem – Innovation Coalition

Figure 2. Regional Innovation Cluster - EDA

Figure 3.Babson Global – © 2009 2010 2011 - Daniel Isenbersg


EMPLOYEES -

BUSINESS PARTNERS -

CUSTOMERS -

CONSULTANTS -

COMPETITORS -

ASSOCIATIONS, TRADE SHOWS -

INTERNET SALES & SERVICE UNITS -

INTERNAL R&D -

ACADEMIA -

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% Source: IBM "The Global CEO Study 2006: base on interviews with 765 CEOs and business leaders

Figure 4. Most significant sources of Innovative Ideas

Regions

Ecosystems appear to develop within geographic areas that are defined by the proximity of the players.

We refer to theses areas in this report as regions. Regions, in the context of this report, typically

encompass a 25 miles radius of a hub city within a state or province (A few people, interviewed,

indicated an influence of up to 50 miles). Even in smaller states, like Connecticut, where the

Connecticut Technology Council operates state-wide, regions exist in Greater Hartford, Greater New

Haven and Greater Stamford. Beyond that, smaller regions develop around other cities that are

somewhat distant from the major areas. This seems to be pretty much dictated by convenience and

unwillingness to travel beyond a certain distance in order to be associated with a particular region.


Assets

Like the word Innovation, the word asset can mean different things to different people. It is important

to achieve a common understanding of what is included under this heading because it really speaks to

what exists, and what needs to exist, in a functioning Innovation Ecosystem. Following are two

examples of how assets are described:

1. SSTI has developed the following list for Innovation Asset Requirements

“For an entrepreneurial ecosystem to flourish, the following assets must exist within a region:”

Tangible Assets

• Entrepreneurial Capacity

• Business Acumen

• Risk Capital

• R&D Enterprise

• Technology Commercialization

• Human Capital

• Physical Infrastructure

• Industrial Base

• Global Linkages

Intangible Assets

• “A Buzz”

• Networking Opportunities

• Culture that is Supportive of Innovation

• Community Mindset

Business Climate Assets

• Government Policies

• Quality of Life

SSTI has created detailed descriptions of each of the above elements and has also developed metrics

that can be used to determine the presence of an asset within a region.

SSTI also prepared a “Resource Guide for TBED” for the EDA in which they say: “Based on the

experience of tech-based economies like Silicon Valley, Research Triangle, and Route 128, it is generally

acknowledged now that the following elements are required for a tech-based economy:

• An intellectual infrastructure, i.e. universities and public or private research laboratories that

generate new knowledge an discoveries

• Mechanisms for transferring knowledge from one individual to another or from one company

to another


• Physical infrastructure that includes high quality telecommunications systems an affordable

• high speed Internet connections

• Highly skilled technical workforce

• Sources of risk capital

• Quality of life, and

• Entrepreneurial culture”

2. A second description comes from Communitech, a technology organization in the Waterloo region of

Ontario which describes itself as an Enabling Organization and Ecosystem Catalyst. They describe the

core elements of an ecosystem which support a tech cluster as including the following five C’s:

Culture

• Risk-taking

• Entrepreneurship

Connectedness

• Uber-networks

• Partnerships – usual and unusual

Capability

• System-wide i.e. Tech talent and business talent

Capital

• The right kind at the right time

Community

• Identification with industry/ cluster as well as company

So; assets appear to be a combination of organizations, resources and a supporting structure or

foundation which is both tangible and intangible. As we’ll see, further on, one of the first steps in

defining the Innovation Ecosystem, within a region, will be to inventory or “map” the existing assets. It

is at this point, and beyond, that there must be a level of common language and detail that can be

easily understood and agreed to by all stakeholders in the region.

Another way to view the landscape is through the eyes of the entrepreneur. In simple terms, they

want to know what resources and services are available, and who provides them. Keeping in mind the

objective of supporting entrepreneurs who are thinking and acting innovatively to start and grow

companies with high scaling potential, there must, first of all, be understanding of the kinds of

resources and services that would be of most use to that contingent.

Resources seem to be able to be grouped into six or so categories. This first level grouping usually

reflects what the entrepreneur is looking for, in general, and provides the first step toward being able

to funnel them to the specific resource or service for which they are searching. A breakdown of

categories and some of the sub-offerings might be:


NETWORKING:

� Events/Conferences:

� Assist Entrepreneurs in connecting

CAPITAL:

� Provide direct funding to entrepreneurs

� Facilitate connection to funding providers

REPRESENTATION:

� Perform lobbying activities on behalf of entrepreneurs

� Promote companies, industry, economic development

� Coordinate with other organizations that lobby

KNOWLEDGE:

� Seminars

� Webinars

� Programs/Courses

� Web resources

� Newsletters, Magazines, Alerts, Announcements

� Coordinate with other organizations that supply

SERVICES:

� Incubator (office space plus)

� CEO in Residence

� Mentors/Coaches/Counselors

� Peer-to-Peer Groups

� Website services (jobs, internships, directories, calendar, etc.)

� Coordinate with other organizations that supply

SUPPORT:

� Promote Innovation & Commercialization

� Publicity and Recognition

� Ecosystem Development

� Developing / Maintaining Culture of ………………

� Workforce development, attraction & retention


Organizations

Organizations, of course, already exist in every area and they came into existence because of some

need that was identified, and a decision that was made to do something that would satisfy that need.

Some have a narrow focus and others a broader one. Some provide a single service while others work

more expansively.

Using a list of assets / resources / services previously described, it now falls to identifying the

organizations that are in a position to supply some, most or all of them. Following are descriptions and

examples of types of organizations that can be considered.

Venture Development Organization (VDO)

SSTI uses this description of what has become an increasingly used term to describe the type of

organization that is needed to achieve stated goals. It states:

“A VDO is a public or nonprofit organization that contributes to economic development by providing a

portfolio of services, including:

� assisting in the creation of high-growth companies;

� providing expert business assistance to those companies;

� facilitating or making direct financial investments in companies; and,

� speeding the commercialization of technology.”

“A high-performing VDO will draw on the existing strengths of the region’s innovation system and

develop programs and initiatives targeted to overcome the system’s weaknesses.”

Enabling Organizations

Communitech provides the following description. “An enabling organization is one that provides

leadership to a specific industry, effectively bridging, bonding and directing multiple partners in

delivering toward a common agenda. They assume responsibility for being ahead of the curve, taking

on issues and opportunities at an industry level. Different than old-style associations, enabling

organizations think deeply about industry and company needs, and apply considerable strategy and

intentionality in engineering outcomes that deliver robust tech clusters, resulting in more jobs, more

companies and more wealth. They’re key players in the business ecosystem.”

“There’s no one model that defines an enabling organization. They can be:

• Business Incubators

• Economic Development Agencies

• Trade Associations

• Off-shoots of Universities

• Tech Councils”


Other Organizational examples:

- JumpStart, Inc.- www.jumpstartinc.org

Located in Cleveland, JumpStart is part of Northeast Ohio’s entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem

and they state that: “Supporting entrepreneurs with high growth companies in Northeast Ohio by

providing intensive technical assistance and investment dollars has been, and continues to be, at the

core of our mission.” Their aim is to “transform the economic impact of entrepreneurial ventures and

the ecosystems supporting their growth.” There are three ways in which they do this.

“First, JumpStart provides intensive entrepreneurial development assistance to Northeast Ohio

entrepreneurs leading high potential, early-stage companies.”

“Those services are delivered by former successful entrepreneurs (called Venture Partners and

Entrepreneurs-in-Residence) who work one-on-one with entrepreneurs to establish and achieve value-

creating milestones of growth, such as raising capital, generating revenues, testing the commercial

viability of their product or service, and moving the product or service into the market.”

• JumpStart Ventures guides

entrepreneurs with high-

potential businesses down

the path toward wealth

creation by providing seed

capital, experienced advisors,

and a network of vital

resources. JumpStart

Ventures invests in

innovative, early-stage

companies that are

positioned to excel in high

opportunity markets,

focusing on entrepreneurs

with breakthrough, market-

driven technologies likely to

create high growth

companies.

• JumpStart Inclusion Advisors guides high impact minority and women entrepreneurs seeking to

raise capital from private investors in order to grow their companies into larger scale national

and international firms. It also works with entrepreneurs leading high impact companies located

in the urban centers of Northeast Ohio.


“Second, JumpStart supports the growth and strengthening of Northeast Ohio’s innovation and

entrepreneurial ecosystem, which supports entrepreneurial ventures. An ecosystem is all the elements

necessary for the creation of a thriving entrepreneurial economy. There’s no one element and no one

organization that supports entrepreneurship on its own. JumpStart advocates for the entrepreneurial

economy to secure a continuous stream of resources for entrepreneurs, engaging and acting with

federal, state, and community policy makers, civic leaders, and leaders in the venture capital and angel

investing communities.”

“Often the resources go to the entrepreneurs directly or are deployed by other non-profit economic

development organizations or investors. Examples of this work include:

• Launching and managing the JumpStart Entrepreneurial Network, a network putting

entrepreneurs front and center in Northeast Ohio by creating a collaboration between Ohio

Third Frontier-funded entrepreneurial support organizations.

• Leading the creation of North Coast Angel Fund, Northeast Ohio’s first managed angel fund

which has invested in over 17 companies.

• Leading the Venture Capital Advisory Task Force to further entrepreneurial investment and

success in the region.

• Securing over $18 million for the region’s entrepreneurs through successful funding proposals to

Ohio Third Frontier.”

JumpStart Entrepreneurial Network

“The JumpStart Entrepreneurial Network is a connected group of Northeast Ohio entrepreneurial

support organizations, all funded by Ohio Third Frontier. The Network provides entrepreneurs

with one easy point of entry – www.jumpstartnetwork.orghttp://www.jumpstartnetwork.org/ – to

connect with the right resources to start. Once in the Network, entrepreneurs continue to be

connected to the right at the right time, all to grow their business.”

“The Network members include pre-seed and seed funds, business advisors, accelerators, and

incubators. Network members include:”


JumpStart Entrepreneurial Network

Ray Leach, JumpStart’s CEO has recently announced “JumpStart America”, a 501c3, which is an initiative

of the Startup America Partnership. JumpStart America’s activities will be aimed at “raising and

aggregating financial resources to further the creation and development of entrepreneurial ecosystems,

and serving as a national best practice in venture development …”

- TechStars

Techstars is a mentorship-driven seed stage investment program run in four locations: Boston, Boulder,

New York and Seattle. Programs are three months long and about ten companies participate in each

one. They provide up to $18,000 ($6,000 x 3 founders) in seed funding for the three months spent at a

startup accelerator. The program stresses coaching, mentoring and preparation for raising capital from

angels and venture capitalists. Techstars wants to be viewed as a co-founder and takes an equity

position in the startup.

Recently, TechStars has joined Startup America Partnership and announced the creation of “TechStars

Network” which includes 15 independently owned and operated regional organizations that seek to

replicate the TechStars model.

“The TechStars Network will provide significantly expanded best practice sharing, networking

opportunities, training and ongoing support for members of this regionally diverse network, from Miami

to Seattle and from Nashville to New Orleans. Over the next three years, the TechStars Network will

ensure that 5,000 successful and experienced entrepreneurs and investors will mentor and support

6,000 promising young entrepreneurs, increasing their success rate tenfold and creating 25,000 new

jobs by 2015, while creating a sustainable engine for growing these figures over time.”


- Y Combinator

Since 2005, Y Combinator, Mountain View, CA provides a similar offering of seed funding and mentoring

as TechStars does. Startups spend 3 months in Silicon Valley refining their business plans and preparing

to pitch to investors. There is an alumni network which support continuation of support beyond the end

of the program

- Mass Challenge

“Mass Challenge is a non-profit organization, located in Boston, that connects early stage

entrepreneurs to the resources they need to launch high-growth, high-impact businesses

immediately.”

Primary activities included running an annual global startup competition and an accelerator program

which focuses on organizing and documenting key resources, and organizing training and networking

events.

In January, 2011, it was announced that Mass Challenge would be a partner in the new Startup America

Partnership. “As a partner organization, Mass Challenge is engaged in a coordinated public/private

effort that brings together an alliance of the country’s most innovative entrepreneurs, corporations,

universities, foundations, and other leaders, working in concert with a wide range of federal agencies to

dramatically increase the prevalence and success of American entrepreneurs.”

Other Stakeholder Organization Categories

• Colleges and Universities

• State Government - Executive/Eco. Dev. Agencies

• Venture Capital

• Angel Investor Groups

• Lending Institutions

• Foundations

• Chambers of Commerce

• Local Economic Development Entities

• Incubators/Accelerators

• Federal - SBA, SBDC, WBDC, SCORE

• Trade Organizations

• Service Providers

• Corporations

• Entrepreneurs & Small-business Executives

• Media


Organizations in the same category (Chambers of Commerce, Universities) should not be

treated alike. In different regions they can operate in completely different ways. Some

Chambers run incubators; others do not. Some Universities provide direct funding; others do

not. This relates to the asset mapping step where there needs to be an understanding of what

resources/services are being searched for, and which of those resources/services might be

supplied by a particular organization. It is unlikely that only one organization in a region will

supply all necessary elements.

Funding

Most Tech Councils generate revenue from a combination of sponsors, event proceeds

membership dues and grants. The amount in each of these categories varies widely and also

does the presence or absence of grant money.

Without having much detail for support, it appears that the degree of implementation of

Innovation Ecosystems has been in direct relation to funding from public sources at the

federal, state, provincial, regional and local levels. Canada appears to have taken the lead in

this area based on their accomplishments across the country.

In the United States, there is strong interest by the Administration and the EDA to have

economic accelerators like Innovation Ecosystems implemented throughout the country.

Budget battles will most likely determine the extent of funding that will become available, but

it is expected that some significant amount of money will be made available for this purpose.

Metrics

The basic driver for implementation of Innovation Ecosystems is job creation and so it follows that is the

bottom line of any program. However, because programs such as these do not produce results overnight,

most programs track progress by measuring the number of new start-ups and reporting on the activities

and actions surrounding the support that has been provided to them.

Following are two examples of reported results along with some stated goals going forward.


StartUp Tulsa

“A publicly and privately funded, entrepreneurial, economy-building endeavor of the Tulsa Economic

Development Commission who’s mission is to accelerate the growth of a culture of startups generating

locally grown jobs, enhancing and expanding Tulsa’s entrepreneurial economy.”

Five-year goal: Generate 226 new operating startups, resulting in 949 new locally grown jobs with average

salaries of $46,043.

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem by the numbers 2007-2010 – (Results)

• Startups inspired to participate……..615

• Startups operating…….64

• Jobs created…..269

• Amount added to Tulsa’s annual payroll…..$12,376,358

• Average Salary…..$46,043

• Money raised…..$14,875,000

Measuring success: (Goals)

• Add $43.7 million to Tulsa’s annual payroll.

• Inspire 2,200 new entrepreneurial startups.

• Support the creation of six new entrepreneurial programs.

• Grow 1,518 indirect jobs.

• Grow Tulsa Global Entrepreneurship Week participation by 35 percent.

Information: www.startuptulsa.com

Waterloo Region Tech Ecosystem Snapshot – 2009

• $18B tech sector revenue

• $84 million deal flow in 2009 alone

• 711 tech firms employing 30,000 people

• $350M worth of private sector R&D conducted in the Region

• 631 patents granted per million (3x national average)

• 200+ tech start-ups benefitted from more than 7,000 hours of venture services offered free of

charge by Communitech and the Accelerator Centre

• $300M venture and angel financing raised funds in 14 months

• 2,000 tech jobs currently available; tech sector has experienced 7% employment growth in five

years


Waterloo Region Tech #firms %

Digital Media and ICT 356 50

Mobile 71 10

Software 92 13

Internet Software 57 8

Other (mfg, telecom, IT, etc.) 71 10

Clean Tech 21 3

Life/Health Science 43 6

Total 711 100


III. Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) – Member Highlights

What are TECNA members doing in their regions?

This report is the result of research on technology councils in regions throughout the United States and

Canada, and interviews with 39 tech council CEOs and Executive Directors. Following is information

gathered from the interviews and from Tech Council websites which reflect what a selected number of

Technology Councils have already been doing relative to the creation and nurturing of Innovation

Ecosystems.

The Technology Councils of North America demonstrate broad coverage across the U.S. and Canada as

reflected in the following maps. This is not only meaningful in terms of the number of regions but also

in the fact that they are located in areas of greater population density and represent a large number of

the innovative technology companies that are being relied upon to achieve success, grow, and provide

the jobs of the future.

TECNA CEO Retreat Austin, TX 4/10/11 – 4/12/11Technology Council Regions in United States

NV

OR

WA

CA

ID

MT

WY

MD

AZ

CO

SD

ND

GA

SC

FL

MI

NH

VT

ME

NY MA

LA

MS

AL

PA

NJ

RI

CT

IN

KY

AR

OK

TX

UT

IA

MN

IL

WI

KS

NE

MO

NM

WV

DE

NC

OH

VA

TN

COCO

VA

MAMA

VT

ME


TECNA CEO Retreat Austin, TX 4/10/11 – 4/12/11

Technology Council Regions

. in Canada

.

TECNA Member Highlights

Communitech – Waterloo Region, Ontario, CA www.communitech.ca

Communitech is truly representative of an organization that has embraced the idea and concept of the

regional ecosystem with a focus on delivery of needed resources to innovators and entrepreneurs

through collaborative efforts of regional partners. They have gone beyond successful implementation

and have already taken steps to share their experiences in a way that can be useful to other

organizations desiring to create a similar environment in their regions.

“In brief, Communictech has evolved. From our early days as a trade association representing a handful

of tech companies, we’ve become an enabling organization that is a key driver of dynamic growth and

success for tech companies in Waterloo Region.”

“In 2010, Comminitech is: A CATALYST for technology-focused economic development in Waterloo

Region, VESTED in every organization with potential to impact the success of our companies. We know

what they do and how they help, RESPONSIBLE for community awareness of tech sector needs, and tech

sector involvement in community needs, FIRMLY COMMITTED to the needs of tech companies at all

levels, and to continually improving our capacity to deliver.”


Communitech, in 2010, hosted a conference called “Enable U. – Get Your Tech Ecosystem MBA “,

covering what a successful ecosystem looks like and what it takes to build enabling organizations. In

addition, a follow-on, 34 page report titled “Building Better Ecosystems: a handbook for tech cluster

growth and success” was released; describing, in detail, the steps required to understand the

composition of an ecosystem, how to go about building an enabling organization, and how to identify

and engage partners to work in a collaborative manner.

The PowerPoint presentation slides used at the conference and the handbook can both be accessed

through the online community at www.technologycouncils.org.

TECNA CEO Retreat Austin, TX 4/10/11 – 4/12/11

Knowledge Creation

Entrepreneurial Culture

Financing Expertise

Enabling organizations

Venture Services/EiRs

550Tech Firms

Professional ServicesFirms

Government

FinancialInstitutions

PublicListing Agencies

Entrepreneur

The Company

Venture CapitalFirms

Angels

Waterloo Region Ecosystem

Communitech is proud of its Accelerator Centre which is home to 25 start-ups who are able to take

advantage of a team of mentors and advisors, and be part of an innovation community. Likewise,

another popular program has created, and manages 24 different peer groups based on special interest,

job function and industry.

Communitech is also a member of the Ontario Network of Excellence (ONE). This is a network of 19

regional not-for-profit organizations throughout Ontario, which provide services similar to those

described above. More information can be found at www.oneinnovation.ca.


Automation Alley, Troy, MI www.automationalley.com

“Automation Alley exists to grow the innovation cluster of Southeast Michigan. We create business

development opportunities and results for our members and stakeholders who share our values. Our

vision is that Southeast Michigan will be globally acknowledged as the leading technology and innovation

region in the United States by 2020.”

“Automation Alley brings together businesses, educators and government to help entrepreneurs

accelerate the commercialization of new technologies and services. With our support and resources,

ideas are turned into usable, marketable technology solutions. To date, the Alley has invested more than

$6 million in 29 technology-driven companies across Southeast Michigan.

Spurred by the rapid growth of Automation Alley, the business acceleration program was conceived as a

nucleus for technology commercialization activities. It draws on the region’s prolific state-of-the-art

resources, high-tech innovation, highly educated workforce and outstanding academic, business and

entrepreneurial talent.

Serving a wide variety of clients and customers:

• Innovators and entrepreneurs seeking to turn ideas into profits

• Businesses and government organizations seeking new technology solutions

• High tech start-ups

• Investors interested in new enterprises

• University research facilities and technology transfer offices

In addition, Automation Alley provides a variety of services designed to help Southeast Michigan's

entrepreneur succeed:

• Business coaching to help companies succeed

• Entrepreneurial resources that offer a variety of local partners and resources

• Seed funding for local technology start-up companies

• Entrepreneur's Initiative of Southeast Michigan (EISEM), a series of programs that works to

highlight regional entrepreneurs and their businesses

• EntrepreNews (a monthly entrepreneur-focused eNewsletter)”

In June 2010, the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan, a philanthropic organization

comprising ten national and local foundations, awarded a $3 million grant to a newly formed Business

Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan. Automation Alley is one of four key business accelerators

which will work collaboratively to focus on workforce and business issues.

Within the first six months after founding the Business Accelerator Network, the Kauffman Foundation

completed a mapping of the existing assets that exist in the network in the areas of education, coaching,

funding, university relationships and use of volunteers. They found that the organizations supply the

services and support that are necessary to sustain a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem. Now, by working

collaboratively and leveraging their capabilities through the network, they will be able to extend the

assistance to entrepreneurs that will help them grow their businesses faster.


TechColumbus, Columbus, OH www.techcolumbus.org

“TechColumbus accelerates the growth of the innovation economy by providing vital resources and

assistance to people and enterprises that depend on technology to achieve their business goals.”

“TechColumbus is the catalyst for technology-driven economic growth in Central Ohio. We work to

create new companies, strengthen existing businesses, open doors to technology resources, help

promote and attract the next generation of high-wage/high-growth industry sectors, support the

attraction and retention of talented people, and promote opportunity for all citizens. Within a decade,

Central Ohio will be widely recognized as one of the premier technology-enriched communities in the

world and a leader in tech-related business formation, expansion, and attraction.

Growth drives everything we do. We help start-ups grow their concepts, their maturity, their abilities, and

their ambitions. We help established companies grow their business, their capabilities, their connections,

and their knowledge. And we help individuals grow their careers, their expertise, their networks, and

their confidence. Every day, TechColumbus provides the people, information, and funding critical to a

thriving innovation economy.

Our ultimate goal is to accelerate business growth, job creation, and prosperity in the 15-county region of

Central Ohio. TechColumbus runs a world-class technology business incubator and works with

entrepreneurs and investors to develop and launch technology start-up companies, as well as grow young

companies that will provide the jobs of tomorrow.

Connecting the region's world-class tech assets

They are the envy of most U.S. cities: OSU - a top 10 research university, Battelle, Columbus Children's

Research Institute, OhioHealth, 15 Fortune 1,000 companies, thousands of small and large tech-based and

tech-enabled companies, and a large, growing young professional community. TechColumbus facilitates

collaboration among these tech assets and provides the resources and assistance needed to accelerate

business and overall economic progress.

Leading regional initiatives

TechColumbus advocates for major regional initiatives that strengthen the tech economy. One example is

talent development and attraction -- many Central Ohio companies (large and small) are growing rapidly

and can’t find the technical talent they need to fill existing openings. Working with the Chamber and

others, TechColumbus provides programming and services that develop and retain the current workforce

and help attract young professionals to the community to fill essential roles in our economy.

The TechStart program is the result of millions of dollars invested in the central Ohio innovation economy

by the Ohio Entrepreneurial Signature Program, the Third Frontier Project, and other partners.

From world class incubator and office space, to access to federal grants, we provide additional services

and resources that help central Ohio start ups succeed.


We give innovative companies what they need to grow: start-up mentoring and consulting, business plan

development, a strong pathway to capital investment, marketing assistance, and affordable, high-end

office, meeting, and lab facilities for our incubator clients.

TechStart’s commercialization experts help evolve innovations into real products in the fields of

Information Technology, Bioscience, and Advanced Materials.

Experienced guidance is just as important as funding. So we strengthen emerging technology leaders with

ongoing mentoring, resident programs, and commercialization efforts.

Access to capital. It’s what every tech startup needs to grow — and it’s a major component of what we

provide, from public and private investment sources.”

SIRTI, Spokane, WA www.sirti.org

“Sirti is a Washington State economic development agency that accelerates the development and

growth of innovative technology companies in thehttp://www.sirti.org/Portals/0/Images/area-served-

map.jpg Inland Northwest — especially in Eastern Washington. Through a collaboration of business,

higher education and government, Sirti fosters an environment where entrepreneurs and small start-up

companies can flourish and high-growth companies can focus on their efficient growth.”

“Sirti’s roots are in the transformative thinking that changed the region’s business climate from one that

was natural resource driven to one that is now technology-based. Today our region’s community leaders

and stakeholders enthusiastically embrace and promote this evolution in regional economic goals and

achievements. This spirit of cooperation between government and civic organizations, colleges and

universities, and leading technology-based businesses results in a creative business environment where

Sirti clients learn from experts, contribute innovative ideas, and with hard work, inspired coaching and

collective support, grow and prosper”

“


Arizona Technology Council, Phoenix / Tucson, AZ www.aztechcouncil.org

The Arizona Technology Council acts in a number of different areas to promote connections and

interactions between members of the innovation community in the state. This manifests itself in their

support of the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair, the Arizona Science Bowl, the www.GetSTEM-az.com

website for collaboration of industry and educators and support for “Project Lead the Way” middle and

high school engineering and bio-medical science programs.

The 2012 Arizona Science & Technology Festival, a two-week event, is a grassroots public-private

collaboration of the Tech Council, Arizona State University, and dozens of organizations across industry,

business, education, philanthropy, and the community. Its aim is to expand science, technology and

innovation, build local capacity, inspire a competitive workforce and draw world-leading talent to Arizona.

Addressing the importance of jobs and economic development, a comprehensive technology workforce

study was completed. The purpose was to assess the balance, past and future, between supply and

demand for technology workers in Arizona and the likelihood that there will be a shortage of technical

workers over the next decade. The information will be valuable in determining what workforce training

and development will be needed to keep pace with the needs of industry.

Actively advancing technology throughout the state, the Arizona Technology Council provides resources

and business development opportunities to its members through:

• Public policy initiatives that promote the technology industry's interests to elected officials

• Educational forums, networking opportunities and company-showcase events that connect and

educate the technology community

Innovation has been identified as one of the key drivers in job creation and economic development. So,

what does it mean to be innovative and how does one go about it? The answer might come from the

new Arizona Innovation Institute. This initiative of the Arizona Technology Council Foundation, offers

groundbreaking training in creativity and decision-making methodologies to Arizona businesses and

organizations, large and small alike. Previously, this training, which has proved to increase profits, drive

innovation and create jobs, was only available to major organizations.

The Institute's classes and on-site sessions address innovation by developing new ways to discover

important and emerging customer needs, processes for creating business strategy, and methods for

creating breakthrough solutions to existing business challenges. Participants also benefit from skill

training for new product and service development.

The Institute, in collaboration with the renowned Dr. George Land and Dr. Beth Jarman’s FarSight

Group, Inc., is now offering Arizonans this proprietary, systematic approach for organizational

transformation and innovation, which has boosted the bottom line for major organizations throughout

the world.

And, on the heels of a successful inaugural trade delegation to China, the Arizona Technology Council has

teamed with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry to provide another exploratory mission to

China for Arizona business leaders in 2011.


i2E, Oklahoma City www.i2E.org

“i2E, Inc. is a private not-for-profit corporation focused on growing technology-based companies in

Oklahoma and making a positive impact on the state’s economy.

i2E’s stated mission is “Home grown economic development by fostering the birth and nurturing the

growth of advanced technology companies in Oklahoma.”

“We achieve our mission by working directly with entrepreneurs, researchers and companies to help

them commercialize their technologies, launch and grow new businesses and access needed capital. Our

clients like the fact that our staff consists of experienced entrepreneurs and investors who have walked in

their shoes.

Busy entrepreneurs tell us that our model works for them because we not only provide high quality

business advice, capital and entrepreneurial development, we act as a portal to other private and public

resources — making it easier to access the right information, expertise and investment at the right time.

At i2E, we are not only in business to help entrepreneurs and investors turn ideas into successful

companies; we are in business to grow Oklahoma’s economy. Our clients provide well-paying jobs, bring

new wealth into the state, and attract top tier talent. We are proud of our results, and our strong track

record has made us a national model for other states and regions.

Each year, we serve more than 200 entrepreneurs, inventors and companies representing biotechnology

and life sciences, IT and software, energy, advanced materials and manufacturing, and more. Our clients

are in all stages of business development; ranging from proof of concept and seed stages to start-up and

early stage growth. Some are producing sales revenues and others are still in pre-revenue stages. And, our

clients are found in all regions of our state — both urban and rural.

Our services act as a catalyst for Oklahoma’s economy. While you can find more details in our full Impact

Reports, here are a few highlights of how we leverage our resources into economic results:

http://www.i2e.org/library/2009-annual-report/

- Growing Jobs: While Oklahoma’s job base has grown less than 5 percent each year since 2003, our

clients added jobs to their payroll at a rate more than 20% each year.

- Fostering Livable Wages: Average wages of client companies are more than 60% higher than the state

average wage.


- Creating New Wealth: While less than half our clients are typically in revenue producing stages, those

that do produce report more than 90% of revenues from markets out of state – which means new wealth

in being brought into the state.

- Expanding Access to Capital: Between 40-50% of our clients raise equity capital. Through the Technology

Business Finance Program (TBFP) and the Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund (OSCF), companies have used

$26,553,345 to attract $238,603,738 in private investment. That’s new investment into our state’s

economy.

- Leveraging Private Investment: The TBFP has been in operation long enough to calculate its return on

public investment. To date, over $9.5 million has been loaned to 100 Oklahoma-based companies. These

companies have used TBFP funds to leverage more than $221.5 million in private sector capital—that’s

$23.32 of private capital for every TBFP (public) dollar invested.

Illinois Technology Association, Chicago, IL www.illinoistech.org

“The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is a driving force behind the growth of Illinois' vibrant

technology industry.

ITA’s agenda is simple – grow technology companies by fostering deep collaboration among the diverse

industry all in support of developing the ecosystem necessary to foster the success of member

companies. All the while, tirelessly advocating for the industry to raise the awareness of Illinois as a

leading technology community.

Members of ITA benefit from unlimited access to strategic development programs, services, resources

and events that support all members of their team. ITA leverages peer-to-peer collaboration and one-on-

one mentoring with leaders from the technology industry to drive companies forward. In addition, ITA’s

education, events, networking, access to facilities at TechNexus and much more are all focused on

growing members businesses.

Simply put, collaboration is working together. And we all know two heads are better than one! ITA

programs and events bring together a network of experts and peers to address the latest evolutions in the

industry.

http://www.technexus.org/Developed in partnership with the Illinois Technology Association (ITA),

TechNexus is a 22K sq ft clubhouse for the Illinois technology community that is part incubator, part

conference and training center and part co-working space. Located in the Loop across from the Willis

(Sears) Tower, over 2000 individuals come through the TechNexus each month in one capacity or another.

TechNexus is the physical embodiment of the Illinois technology community. ITA members can drop in

and use the space for co-working or hotdesks at no charge and can rent the office and conference space

at discounted rates.”


Wisconsin Technology Council, Madison, WI www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.org

The Wisconsin Technology Council is the science and technology advisor to the Governor and the

Legislature. Launched in 2001, the Tech Council was created by a bipartisan act of the governor and the

Legislature. It is an independent, non-profit and non-partisan board with members from tech companies,

venture capital firms, all levels of education, research institutions, government and law.

The Tech Council has three main functions:

1) It provides policy guidance to lawmakers, the governor, state agencies and other institutions in

Wisconsin. It has most notably done so through “Vision 2020: A Model Wisconsin Economy” and white

papers that have served as background for policymakers.

2) It serves an important in-state networking role through Wisconsin Innovation Network (WIN), a

community-based organization dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. It also works

with other statewide and local affiliates. And it provides out-of-state networking through its "I-Q

Corridor" activities and other events.

The Wisconsin Innovation Network (WIN) is The Tech Council's membership subsidiary - a community-

based economic development organization dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. In

association with the Tech Council, WIN programs focus on the needs and challenges faced by new and

growing technology-based businesses in Wisconsin.

WIN is the Wisconsin Innovation Network, the membership subsidiary for the Wisconsin Technology

Council. There are WIN chapters in Chippewa Valley, Lake Superior Region-Ashland, Madison,

Milwaukee, Northeast Wisconsin and Central Wisconsin. WIN exists to serve as an educational and

networking resource for entrepreneurs and people who work for high-growth firms, large and small. It

can provide one more link the global economy, which is where Wisconsin must compete in order to

thrive in the 21st century. Wisconsin will not get ahead by competing with the Twin Cities or Chicago – it

will get ahead by producing globally competitive goods and services, and by working as part of a larger

region.”

Tech South East, Moncton, NB www.techsoutheast.ca

Tech South East is an enabling organization working with the ICT and health and life science sectors to

accelerate the growth of innovation-based entrepreneurship and economic development in South East

New Brunswick.


“Tech South East is an innovation intermediary focused on South East New Brunswick’s technology and

health science sectors with the goal of aligning companies, assets and resources to work together on

advancement and growth. As a catalyst and facilitator, Tech South East brings together industry,

government, academia and the financial community to develop and implement the region’s innovation

acceleration strategy. In working with its partners, TSE is the leading advocate for the needs, interests

and opportunities of the stakeholders in the region’s innovation system.”

Strategic Partners

At the heart of successful innovation systems and cluster initiatives around the world are the business,

institutional and public sector leaders who understand the importance of harnessing their strengths and

energies toward the realization of a common vision. Collaboration and cooperation were central to the

development of Tech South East and are the key drivers in our efforts to accelerate the growth of

innovation-based entrepreneurship and economic development in South Eastern New Brunswick.

Together we create a network of support and services for our technology and health sciences

entrepreneurs and develop better ways to drive the growth of tomorrow’s business leaders.

Initial efforts to foster accelerated Technology-Based Economic Growth and Entrepreneurship in Greater

Moncton go back to December 2006 with the release of a strategy developed in partnership with the IC2

Institute of the University of Texas at Austin. Two identified keys to success were: A common vision and

action plan to mobilize key local partnerships and collaboration and cooperation among Greater

Moncton’s business, academic and government sectors.

In March of 2007, a mission team traveled to Oulu, Finland; a city that has “… experienced exceptionally

strong technological transformation over the past thirty years from large-scale industries that use

natural resources to knowledge-based industries.” It was recommended to be used as a benchmark city

and model for success for Moncton.

“The team came away with the overwhelming impression that the power in the Oulu success story is

attributable to the high degree of coordination and collaboration among the many players in the Oulu

innovation system.” This became an overarching objective in the Moncton strategy as stated in the IC2

report:

“…the importance of collaboration and cooperation among Greater Moncton business,

academic and government sectors. The effectiveness of these partnering activities will largely

determine the region’s ability to create high-value jobs, educate, attract, and retain talent, an to

accelerate economic growth while sustaining a high quality of life for all citizens.”1

1. “Accelerating technology-based economic growth and entrepreneurship in Greater Moncton” Moncton Technology Planning Group –

June 2007


Washington Tech. Industry Assn., Seattle, WA www.washingtontechnology.org

“Washington Technology Industry Association is the largest state-wide association of technology

companies and executives in the world. With more than 1,100 member companies representing

more than 125,000 technology sector employees in Washington State, Washington Technology

Industry Association is a catalyst for setting new industry directions, sharing expertise, fostering

collaboration, delivering key business services, and advancing the economic value and global

impact of technology companies doing business in Washington.

By joining Washington Technology Industry Association, members are connected with a powerful

group of technology

http://www.washingtontechnology.org/documents/PSBJ_WA_Best_Workplaces.pdfcompanies

and leaders from around the state. Through face-to-face events and online communities,

Washington Technology Industry Association creates an environment that enables you to

effectively network with peers, exchange best practices, gain new business insights and achieve

professional goals.

Washington Technology Industry Association is a technology trade association that represents industry-

leading technology companies and leaders who share a singular mission: to help Washington state

technology innovators succeed. Members recognize that a vibrant technology industry in Washington is

critical to the economic success of our entire region.

As a statewide association, the Washington Technology Industry Association is dedicated to

promoting technology leadership and growth throughout Washington. The WTIA supports

regional communities that contribute to the economic growth and vitality of technology centers

across the state.

WTIA Regional Communities are either volunteer driven or an affiliated organization that commit to

organizing events of interest to the local technology and business community. Regional Communities

promote WTIA’s business services, can tap into WTIA’s advocacy agenda and help grow membership in

its geographic area.

• Northwest Regional Community

• Olympic Regional Community

• Southeast Regional Community

• Inland NW Regional Community”

The Puget Sound area has a reputation for housing recognizable high-tech companies like Boeing,

Microsoft, McCaw Cellular, Aldus and Amazon to name a few. In 2007, research on the part of a Virginia

Tech project that examines the emergence of high-tech regions, and data collected through an online

survey of technology firms, resulted in WTIA creating a poster titled “Puget Sound Tech Universe, A

visual history of the technology industry”. In it can be see a graphical representation of the genealogy of

711 firms and institutions in the Puget Sound region. In addition to the major companies and their spin-

offs, the University of Washington (1861), is prominent in its contribution to the creation of new

companies.


A Visual History of the Technology Industry in Puget Sound

Idaho Technology Council, Boise, ID www.idahotechcouncil.org

“The Idaho Technology Council exists to connect, inform and promote the technology companies in Idaho

and is dedicated to foster the growth of technology companies in the state, primarily in the areas of

information technology, agriscience, and energy.

The ITC provides a valuable forum for industry, research, educators, investors, and government

throughout the state. The ITC advocates for creating a strong, innovative technology ecosystem and a

high quality, high paid workforce.

IDAHO INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Provide a valuable networking resource for industry executives, potential partners, academic leaders,

investors, government and customers. The Idaho Technology Council will focus on developing the Idaho

Innovation Ecosystem including:

1. Industry

2. Capital

3. Talented workforce

4. Research

5. Technology Commercialization

6. Government


Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), Atlanta, GA www.tagonline.org

TAG educates, promotes, and unites Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and

connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy.

“When we first started out, TAG was focused on connecting the technology community in Georgia. We’ve

grown up and, with more than 13,000 members and growing, we have expanded our focus to also include

educational programming, government relations and general promotion of Georgia as a top state for

technology.”

TAG enhances Georgia’s technology ecosystem by supporting technology companies at all stages of

growth, from concept to maturity, but it is particularly proud of its efforts to support and bring together

the entrepreneurial community.

Concept: We support entrepreneurial initiatives through programs like the GRA/TAG Business Launch

Competition, Venture Atlanta Conference and through work with our partners like Georgia Tech and the

Atlanta Technology Development Center (ATDC) to ensure that early stage companies have the access to

information, people and venture capital they need to get off the ground.

• GRA/TAG Business Launch Competition: Since it was founded in 2006, the GRA/TAG Business

Launch Competition has become one of largest competitions of its kind in the United States,

providing $450,000 in cash and over $1,000,000 in donated services, and has helped more than

130 young entrepreneurs connect with successful entrepreneurs and investors in mentoring

relationships.


• Venture Atlanta: Venture Atlanta, Georgia’s technology innovation event, is where Georgia’s top

technology innovators meet the country’s top-tier investors. As the state’s largest investor

showcase, Venture Atlanta connects Georgia’s entrepreneurs with venture capitalists, bankers,

angel investors and others who can help them raise the capital they need to grow their

businesses. The annual non-profit event is a collaboration of three leading Georgia business

organizations: Atlanta CEO Council, Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Technology Association of

Georgia (TAG).

• Community and Government Involvement: TAG has also been instrumental in helping lead the

charge for a number of initiatives geared towards raising awareness and building community and

government support for the entrepreneurial community. Those initiatives include helping bring

Startup America (an Obama administration program focused on improving the business

environment for entrepreneurs) to Atlanta, helping the community build a calendar of resources

and events for entrepreneurs and driving a legislative agenda that includes incentives like an

angel tax credit.

Growth: We help companies continue to blossom through our Economic Gardening program. By

supporting second-stage companies, we help them take the steps necessary to reach full maturity which,

in turn, supports the development of our state’s economy. Through the Economic Gardening program,

TAG and its partners provide growing companies with resources like market research and connections

with the people, businesses and organizations that can take them to the next level.

Maturity: We support the continued success of established businesses and corporations by helping them

connect with talent, potential customers and other companies that can support or even eventually

become a part of the larger companies.

• Where Georgia Leads: Part of our mission is to promote Georgia’s technology prowess. TAG is

embarking on a program to educate Georgians and technology stakeholders, aficionados and

media nationwide about the innovation, companies and talent clustered in our state.

• Senate Resolution 68: Among the legislative issues we drive and support is a resolution to create

a commission to help develop a strategic plan for science and technology in Georgia. This is the

first of its kind for the state and we believe having a plan will support even more growth for

Georgia in technology.

• Industry Events and Awards: TAG also works to promote our technology industry to outsiders to

help attract new companies and talent to Georgia and further enhance our state’s ecosystem.

TAG promotions include the annual Georgia Technology Summit, the Georgia Technology Hall of

Fame (in partnership with PriceWaterhouseCoopers), the TAG Top 40 Innovative company awards

and a host of other events recognize and honor those who are contributing to the growth of

Georgia’s technology footprint.


The following graphic represents the evolution of TAG.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)

TAG is a leading technology industry association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement

of the state's technology industry. TAG provides leadership in driving initiatives in the areas of policy and

education and brings the technology community together through events, initiative programs and

networking opportunities. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 30 special interest groups, or

societies, including Women in Technology (WIT). Additionally, TAG’s charitable arm, the TAG Education

Collaborative, is focused on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education

initiatives thrive. For more information visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org or TAG’s community

website at www.TAGthink.com.

Mass Technology Leadership Council, Burlington, MA www.masstlc.org

Massachusetts and, in particular, Greater Boston and “route 128” has been at the forefront of

technological innovation for decades and this leadership shows no sign of letting up. It is also an example

of a true tech community that is defined by the companies, organizations and educational institutions

that abound. What exists is a concentration of venture capitalists, universities like MIT, Public economic

development agencies like The Mass. Technology Collaborative, companies like EMC, Boston Scientific,

non-profits like MassChallenge, which runs the largest-ever global startup competition, and technology-

focused organizations like The Mass Technology Leadership Council which fosters entrepreneurship and

promotes the success of companies that develop and deploy technology across industry sectors.


The Mass Technology Leadership Council has put forth a dynamic vision for the future of Massachusetts

technology by calling for private and public sector influencers to creatively and effectively leverage

Massachusetts’ unique assets. The 2020 Challenge is aimed at creating 100,000 new technology jobs, in-

state, by the end of the decade.

Recently, an optimistic note was sounded relative to results that point to a belief that progress could be

two or three times faster this year that the annual rate needed to achieve the goal. There is an

expectation from the Council that “…with the right level of commitment and focus from all our members,

we can capture tremendous growth by riding a new wave of innovation in mobile, data analytics, robotics,

digital media and other sectors.”

“The Mass Technology Leadership Council conducts educational programs, hosts industry events,

facilitates networking, sponsors research, advocates in favor of technology policies that promote

innovation, entrepreneurship and competition, and recognize industry-leading companies and people.


IV. Developing a Model(s)/Template(s)

A few organizations have, after successfully demonstrating the viability of establishing an innovation

ecosystem and producing desired results, reviewed their experiences and documented both best

practices and processes for replicating the effort. This may be considered as a model for others to follow

or, perhaps it will end up as a framework, design or blueprint from which to build a new structure in a

region that will certainly have some unique characteristics and requirements. JumpStart, Inc. and

Communitech have both taken this step and information about what they’ve done and are doing.

A. JumpStart, Inc., Cleveland, OH www.jumpstartinc.org

JumpStart, and the Northeast Ohio Ecosystem have been identified as success stories and are being

examined as models and examples of best practices. The EDA has asked JumpStart to work with other

communities in MN, IN, MI, and NY to explore how they might create action plans to promote innovation

and entrepreneurship in their regions.

As a result, JumpStart, Inc. launched JumpStart Community Advisors, a team that collaborates with

community and regional leaders interested in expanding and enhancing their region’s entrepreneurial

capacity. They engage with regions across the U.S. who desire to develop, fund and execute regional

entrepreneurial action plans that will lead to the creation of a high-performance entrepreneurial

ecosystem. Regions in: Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio

From JumpStart presentation – Nov 10, 2010 Mike Mozenter President, JumpStart Community Advisors


An article found in http://elmwood.wgrz.com/content/445000-federal-grant-awarded-regional-project-

support-develop-new-high-tech-businesses provides one example of progress that is being made toward

extending the program.

“Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27), Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand,

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY-28) and Congressman Chris Lee (NY-26) announced $445,000 for a

new joint initiative covering nineteen counties in Western and Central New York to support new economy

business development and job growth across the region. The funding awarded to the Erie County

Industrial Development Agency (ECIDA) and JumpStart Inc. through the U.S. Economic Development

Administration (EDA) will provide the resources for the New York counties to create a Regional

Entrepreneurship Action Plan (REAP) modeled after a successful program creating jobs and boosting

economic growth in Northeast Ohio.”

Some aspects of the Regional Entrepreneurship Action Plan (REAP) process are:

• Plan and Develop: Form an advisory group of regional commercial and community leaders and build a

Regional Entrepreneurship Action Plan (REAP)

• Fund: Engage with local, regional, state and national organizations who desire to support the

implementation of the REAP

• Implement: Work with the regional partners and collaborators to put in place the capabilities identified

in the REAP.

Partners’ Goals

• Regional Collaboration

• Measurable Results

• Inclusion (minorities and women)

• Accountability

• Operational Excellence

• Catalyst (Entrepreneurial Ecosystem)

B. Communitech, Waterloo, ON www.communitech.ca

As mentioned earlier, Communitech has assembled a handbook titled: “Building Better Ecosystems: a

handbook for tech cluster growth and success”.

In the “Getting Started” section, five steps are listed which are necessary to “get the ball rolling”.


Getting Started

A successful enabling organization is created by bringing a broad spectrum of network partners

together, figuring out where your strong suits are and where you have weaknesses, assuming a

leadership role in the enabling process, tirelessly working with your network partners, and finally,

defining a program suite that best meets the needs of the tech companies you represent.

STEP 1: Asset Inventory

Assess the offering of every player in your universe:

• Partners

• Technology capability of small/medium/large firms

• Other enabling organizations

• Companies

STEP 2: Missing Elements

Take note of what you need, and be creative about getting it:

• Money

• Talent

• Space

• Strategic business acumen

• Voice

STEP 3: Leadership

Step into the void.

• Waiting for the stars to align doesn’t help grow companies; action does!

STEP 4: Engagement

Collaborate.

• Find a way to get everybody on the bus – procedurally, structurally and culturally.

• Focus on win-wins, common enemies, and one team. STEP 5: Build

A sustainable tech cluster requires a strong enabling organization.

• Build you program, your profile and your team.

13


In the “What it takes to build the Enabling Organization” section, five P’s provide an effective framework

for building a strong enabling organization:

Five P’s

• Place and profile

• Programs

• Partners

• Pennies and People

• Proof

1. Place and Profile

Where you’re from gives weight to your activities. If you’re in tech, a Silicon Valley street address

provides instant credibility. If you’re in finance, it’s a New York City address. If you’re in

entertainment, it’s a Hollywood address.

But you’re from Milton, Ontario; or Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, or Jacksonville, Mississippi. The

companies you represent are up against bigger players from well-known places. What can you do

as an enabling organization for the tech cluster in your region? Employ effective strategies to give

your companies a street address that matters via:

• Global Promotion

• Local Promotion

• Real Estate

2. Programs

Beginning and ending with strategic alignment, effective program development for the enabling

organization includes the right line card for each level of enterprise, as executed through:

• Events

• Government Relations

• Peer learning

• Venture Support

• Workforce Development

• Youth Outreach

• Export Support

3. Partners

Your ecosystem partners – whether they are other enabling organizations, government,

academia, financing players, knowledge creators, non-tech enterprises or technology

entrepreneurs – all play a role in the potential for technology based economic development. The

relationship between partners must therefore be clearly beneficial to both parties. Getting there

requires a clear understanding of:


• Who your organization is, what you do and for whom

• How that meshes with what a partner organization does

• Where you both fit within the ecosystem

4. Pennies and People

To be able to help tech businesses grow, you need to run your enabling organization as a

business. That means having the right financial and human resources in place to be effective.

Effective management of pennies and people relies on delivery across four key service

platforms :

1. Talent

2. Business Development

3. Visibility

4. Government Relations

5. Proof

The right measurement varies by region and by program area. The key is to set your bench

marks, check in with stakeholders regularly, report back and look ahead.

Start the process by taking stock of where you are today, and where you see yourself in the

future. How does your enabling organization stack-up?


V. Observations /Best Practices/Summary

Observations:

1. The “Innovation Ecosystem” is alive and well in many regions throughout the U.S. and Canada,

where Tech Councils currently operate.

2. Innovation Ecosystems seem to mostly function within a geographic region reaching a 25 mile

radius of a hub city.

3. Many Tech Councils have already played a prominent role in both establishing the Innovation

Ecosystem and acting as a Venture Development Organization; supplying entrepreneurs with

needed services and access to resources.

4. Collectively, Tech Councils provide virtually every combination of services and access to

resources which are required by innovative entrepreneurs.

5. Regions that have made the greatest strides toward having well-functioning Innovation

Ecosystems, are well funded.

6. Innovation Ecosystems were initiated and grew because there was top-level support and

visibility given to the project.

7. Innovation Ecosystems, that have established themselves, can point to one person, or a few

people, who assumed leadership roles.

8. Thriving Innovation Ecosystems resulted from successfully getting disparate organizations to

collaborate.

9. Although the Innovation Ecosystem identifies the organizations it comprises, the level of

cooperation and collaboration between those organizations varies from region to region and

typically reflects the degree of collaborative attitude in a region.

10. Documentation exists that reflects experience with creating Innovation Ecosystems along with

associated best practices.

11. Most regions indicated that more could be done to reach out to entrepreneurs with

information and directions on where resources reside within the region and how to access

them.


12. The Innovation Ecosystem clearly describes the relationship between economic development

oriented organizations supplying needed resources to entrepreneurs so they can make their

companies grow and create the jobs and income that strengthens the economy.

13. Many Tech Councils have shifted from being trade organizations, providing services and

networking opportunities to their members, to assuming an expanded role in overall economic

development, while still focusing on the contributions from, and benefits to, the companies in

the technology sectors that they represent.

Best Practices:

1. Use a model or template as a starting point for creating an Innovation Ecosystem but retain

flexibility to suit the needs of a particular region.

2. Identify the primary stakeholder organizations within a region that should form the core of the

Innovation Ecosystem and act in a partnering and collaborative manner.

3. Solicit endorsement and involvement of top-level and visible individual to introduce and

spearhead an initiative, and communicate focus, urgency and reliance on participating

stakeholders to work-as-one to accomplish stated goals and objectives.

4. Undertake actions and activities that will maintain high visibility of the initiative, contributions

of the partners, and progress made toward achieving goals and objectives.

5. Map the existing assets and resources available in the regions and identify major gaps.

6. Establish clear, achievable, measurable and agreed upon goals and objectives.

7. Seek funding opportunities from federal and state governments, and nationwide foundations

but, at the same time, plan for becoming self-sustaining.

8. Continue to access the deep pool of information and experience that exists in other regions.

Summary:

In collecting and assembling information for this report, relating to the Impact of Innovation

Ecosystems on economic development, the author was reminded of the 50’s song “Two Different

Worlds; We Live In Two Different Worlds”.

It wasn’t too long ago that technology councils were primarily trade organizations that represented the

best interests of their members, and economic development organizations at federal, state, and local

levels were focused on creating environments conducive to promoting commerce and providing

incentives to business and industry to locate in a particular place or take a particular course of action.


No longer can we afford to function in this way. Competition, from throughout the world, has had an

unanticipated, and profound, effect on our domestic economy. The results for many citizens who have

been negatively impacted are: incomes either lost or reduced, standard of living impaired, and future

opportunities made unclear. And; this does not appear to have only current consequences. Loss, or

reduction, of income makes it difficult, if not impossible, to save for children’s education or for

retirement which can translate into a greater burden on society in the future.

So; in a certain respect, what we’re really talking about is competing more effectively in the global

marketplace. In the past, our rivals took over manufacturing many of the products we consume, and

took advantage of technological advances to provide services to us. They accomplished this, for the

most part, by capitalizing on lower cost human and physical resources and, in some cases,

manipulating currency and creating trade barriers.

Overcoming the advantages they possess, represents a formidable challenge which, as has been proven

in the past, cannot be overcome by individual action. This is the time when people in a position to

make a difference have to come together and become part of something bigger.

And, the people coming together must be the ones that recognize what is meant by being innovative in

the twenty-first century. In a world of extreme high-tech and science, the winners will be those who

discover, create, and deliver the advanced products and services of tomorrow. Thus, the idea of

bringing together members of organizations focused on the technology community with those in

economic development can produce a synergistic effect that will power our competitiveness and

restore our economic strength.

As with most things, it’s a matter of will. It’s been shown in this report that Innovation Ecosystems

exist and are producing results. The next step is to expand on what’s already been accomplished by

spreading the word, getting more players on board, deepening our understanding of what needs to be

done and how to do it and, most importantly, doing it.

We’ll finish with the old sales adage: “There are no Problems, only Opportunities”.

Seizing the opportunity and helping to bring our country back to a strong economic condition can be

fulfilling and rewarding. It offers an opportunity to leaders with foresight, courage, conviction and

stamina to step up to the challenge and effect change. Did we just describe you?


VI. Thank you to TECNA members who participated

The insight gained from conversations with CEOs and Partners was extremely helpful in structuring this

report and selecting content that, hopefully, will add value to the ongoing discussion. Overall, the level of

cooperation and sharing was excellent and all of you are to be commended for your contributions.

Tom Anderson Automation Alley, Inc. Troy MI

Maxine Ballen New Jersey Technology Council (NJTC) Mt. Laurel NJ

Greg Brand Vermont Software Developers' Alliance Burlington VT

Matt Cookson New Hampshire High-Technology Council Manchester NH

Cory Donovan NewVa Corridor Technology Council (NCTC) Blacksburg VA

Tim Early Technology Hampton Roads (HRTC) Hampton VA

Tod Fetherling Nashville Technology Council Nashville TN

Ted Ford TechColumbus Columbus OH

Catrina Gruver-Luedtke Technology Council of Southern California Torrance CA

Rachel Hack Software and Infor Tech Assn. of Kansas Lenexa KS

Su Hawk Colorado Software & Internet Assn. (CSIA) Denver CO

Fred Hoch Illinois Technology Association (ITA) Chicago IL

Tom Hopcroft Mass Technology Leadership Council Burlington MA

Leann Jacobson Technology Association of Iowa (TAI) Des Moines IA

Jim Jay TechPoint Indianapolis IN

Iain Klugman Communitech Technology Association Waterloo ON

Mark Lewis Louisiana Technology Council (LTC) New Orleans LA

Keanin Loomis Innovation Factory Hamilton ON

Tino Mantella Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Atlanta GA

Dean Miller PACT (Gr. Phila Alliance for Capital & Tech) Philadelphia PA

Donn Morrill New York Technology Council New York NY

Mike Mozenter JumpStart Community Advisors Cleveland OH

Brad Nellis NE Ohio Software Association (NEOSA) Cleveland OH

Matthew Nemerson Connecticut Technology Council (CTC) East Hartford CT

Amy Norman Tampa Bay Technology Forum (TBTF) Tampa FL

Cindy Pearson BC Technology Industry Association (BCTIA) Vancouver BC

Robert Philips Chattanooga Technology Council Chattanooga TN

Brooks Raiford North Carolina Technology Assn. (NCTA) Raleigh NC

Eric Renz-Whitmore NM Info Tech & Software Assn. (NMITSA) Albuquerque NM

Doug Robertson Tech South East Moncton NB

Audrey Russo Pittsburgh Technology Council (PTC) Pittsburgh PA

Susan Sigl Washington TechIndustry Association (WTIA) Seattle WA

Mark Skinner State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI) Columbus OH

Bill Sproull Metroplex Tech Business Council (MTBC) Richardson TX

Tom Still Wisconsin Technology Council Madison WI

Kris Valerio Chesapeake Regional Tech Council Annapolis MD

Tom Walker i2E Oklahoma City OK

Joe Wiggins Enterprise Center of Johnson County Lenexa KS

Perry Wood Technology Council of NW Pennslyvania Erie PA

Kim Zentz SIRTI Spokane WA

Steve Zylstra Arizona Technology Council (ATC) Phoenix AZ

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Tecna jobs and innovation ecosystems 6-1-2011

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