Region is poised, ready for innovation clusters
By Pat Dillon, Special to The News
Monday, December 19, 2005 11:57 AM CST
Innovation: 1) a creation (a new device or process) resulting from study and experimentation; 2: the creation of something in the mind; 3: the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new.
--Webster's College Dictionary
United States science and technology policies recognize that strong, sustainable economies must support clusters of entrepreneurship and innovation - key drivers that build and sustain national, state and local economies. But our competitiveness hinges not just on policies and investments at the national level, but also on our capacity to foster clusters of innovation in regions like the Chippewa Valley.
What is a regional innovation cluster? Professor Michael E. Porter of Harvard University defines it as a geographic concentration of competing and cooperating companies, suppliers, service providers, and associated institutions. (http://www.compete.org/ nri/clusters_innovation.asp).
How can we determine if there are “clusters of innovation” in the Chippewa Valley, the St. Croix Valley, or the I-94 Corridor? The answers reside in the following questions:
How many technology-based companies were started in the past three to five years?
How many scientists and engineers are employed by technology-based companies?
How many federal research dollars were awarded to companies for cutting-edge research and development efforts?
How many patents were issued to technology-based companies?
How many equity investments were made to technology-based companies?
What are key factors that drive future job growth and economic vitality in the region?
What technology clusters exist in the region that support innovation?
As business people, we can capitalize on our creative ingenuity, strong work ethic and history of innovation. We can build an even stronger, more vibrant economy based on innovation and commercialization of technologies. We can capitalize on our current strengths to foster clusters of innovation in nanotechnology, medical devices, agriculture, plastics, software and healthcare.
How do we accomplish this? By supporting our high tech companies, both start-up and existing. By promoting collaborative research opportunities with our universities, federal laboratories and businesses. By working together - as individuals at all levels of government, industry and academia - we can align the financial, human and scientific capital of our region for the benefit of our way of life. The composite synergy of our individual efforts to support regional clusters of innovation will benefit our region, our state, and our nation.
One of the resources available to support this synergy and innovation is the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs' Network.
Pat Dillon, a native of Wisconsin, is the Northwest Regional Technology Director for WEN, an initiative of Governor Doyle's Grow Wisconsin Plan. For more information on WEN, SBIR or STTR, contact Ms. Dillon at (715) 836-3636. |
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