SBIR/STTR help online

The Florida Economic Gardening Institute is providing a series of free online webinars about SBIR/STTR funding opportunities. Log on for six sessions to learn how research faculty, students, and technology entrepreneurs can access these government dollars for technology commercialization by working closely with small technology firms that are seeking universities and their research faculty as SBIR partners. Sign up here http://bit.ly/fVCYba

Enterprise Florida in Brazil

   The Miami Herald reports: After an absence of two years, Enterprise Florida reestablished a Brazil office last week to promote Florida products and services and to help Brazilian companies interested in investing in Florida. Manny Mencía, Enterprise Florida’s senior vice president for international trade and business development, said reopening the Brazil office, located in Sao Paulo, is part of a broader strategy, the Brazil Market Expansion Initiative.
   The initiative will help smaller and medium-sized businesses enter the Brazilian market by identifying export sales leads, showcasing Florida products and holding “road shows” to familiarize Florida companies with Brazilian opportunities and business practices.
   Enterprise Florida plans to have a pavilion at Hospitalar, Latin America’s largest health technology show, in Sao Paulo on May 24-27, and is planning an Export Florida exhibition, showcasing Florida products, and a trade mission to Brazil this fall.

Top University tech transfer programs.

Go Gators! UF makes the list of the top 15 technology transfer programs among universities. Ranked by 2009 licensing income by the  Association of University Technology Managers:


1. Northwestern University, $161 million
2. Columbia University, $154 million
3. New York University, $113 million
4. University of California System, $103 million
5. Wake Forest University, $96 million
6. University of Minnesota, $95 million
7. University of Washington/Washington Research Foundation, $87 million
8. University of Massachusetts, $71 million
9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, $66 million
10. Stanford University, $64 million
11. University of Wisconsin at Madison, $57 million
12. University of Florida, $54 million
13. California Institute of Technology, $48 million
14. University of Rochester, $46 million
15. University of Iowa Research Foundation, $43 million

See the Florida Trend article about County Commissioner Frank Attkisson --chairman of the Small Business Regulatory Advisory Council, which has been successful in prompting changes to proposed small-business rules http://www.floridatrend.com/article.asp?aID=54413&parentID=54411. For those who prefer paper, the feature is on pages 70-71 of the February 2011 issue.

Impact Fee Moratorium Approved

     At their January 10, 2011 regular Board meeting, Osceola County Commissioners approved a transportation impact fee moratorium on all new non-residential construction. County officials made the decision in hopes that forgoing the fee revenue will spark commercial development and bring more businesses into the area. The move is expected to give builders noticeable cost savings on commercial construction and level the playing field on competitive economic development projects.
    The moratorium covers only transportation impact fees, which are now waived for projects meeting the following criteria:
    *Building permits must be issued between December 13, 2010 and February 1, 2012, and
     *A permanent Certificate of Occupancy (C.O.) must be issued within 18 months from the time the building permit is issued.
     The County Manager will have the option of approving an extension of the completion date:
     *6 additional months for projects of 20,000 to 100,000 square feet
     *12 additional months for projects of more than 100,000 square feet
     An initial inspection must be called in within 60 days from the time the building permit is issued.
    The impact fee moratorium applies to new commercial/industrial construction and expansion of existing commercial/industrial facilities. Only transportation impact fees are included; fire impact fees and the associated fire/rescue and solid waste special assessments due at the time of C.O. issuance will still be collected.
    “This is a big step in the right direction,” said Chairman Brandon Arrington. “We need to look at creative ways to spark economic growth and vitality, and this is something other communities are trying as well. In order to stay competitive, we need to take bold action. I applaud our Board for doing just that with this vote.”
   To schedule a free pre-application meeting with the Osceola County Community Development staff, please call Nicole Nobles at 407-742-0246.
     Spanish after the break.Comisionados del Condado de Osceola Aprueban Moratoria Sobre las Tarifas de Impacto

BASS hits Lake Toho for Southern Open

    On Jan. 17, 2001, Dean Rojas pulled 45 pounds and 2 ounces of bass from Osceola County's Lake Tohopekaliga to set the Bassmaster tournament record for heaviest one-day catch. The record still stands.
    Now, almost exactly 10 years later, the ideal fishing conditions Rojas tapped into are brewing again on Toho. Coincidentally, the "perfect storm" is happening just in time for the Jan. 20-22 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open out of Kissimmee, the event that kicks off the 2011 Bassmaster season. Trevor Fitzgerald of Belleview, Fla., champ of last season's Southern Open finale, is among those who contend that the Toho tournament could reset the 45-2 record. He has more grounds than most to make the prediction. For one, he was at the Toho tournament in 2001 as an 18-year-old co-angler.
    Corporate Headquarters for BASS is in Celebration.

Orlando top spot for doing business cheaply

    In a ranking of the 20 cheapest cities to set up shop, Florida appears five times, with Orlando claiming the top spot. Jacksonville finished third, and Broward County ranked 20th. Tampa Bay was seventh, and Palm Beach County came in at 16th, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
   "Florida is one of the most pro-business states in the nation," said John Boyd Jr., a principal with BizCosts.com, the New Jersey-based company that did the analysis earlier this month. "And it has been for some time."

Free Online SBIR/STTR Grant Prep Webinars Available

     The Florida Economic Gardening Institute is providing a series of free online webinars about SBIR/STTR funding opportunities.
     Log on for six sessions to learn how research faculty, students, and technology entrepreneurs can access these government dollars for technology commercialization by working closely with small technology firms that are seeking universities and their research faculty as SBIR partners.
     In addition to an extensive overview on success strategies for writing winning SBIR Phase II proposals, these webinar workshops will focus on the STTR program, which requires collaboration between universities and faculty that are interested in spinning their research into innovative technology startup companies.
     Over $2 billion in SBIR grants will be awarded to innovative small and startup technology companies this year. Learn how your company can get governmental funding to expand your commercialization efforts.
Please register at here.

ORMC's New CEO Profiled

Check out the Orlando Business Journal profile on new ORMC CEO Kathryn Gillette.
“I like the uncertainty of my day — I live on the stimulation of the job.”

Florida Claims Four Top Cybercities in 2009

    Washington, DC (December 8, 2010) – TechAmerica Foundation today released its latest report on trends in the U.S. high-tech industry, Cybercities 2010: The Definitive Analysis of the High-Tech Industry in the Nation’s Top 60 Cities. This detailed report tracks trends in high-tech employment, wages, establishments, payroll, employment concentration, and wage differential at the metropolitan level.
      “Florida’s technology economy often falls under the radar, because it is diverse and diffused across the state,” said Peter J. Boni, President and CEO of Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. (NYSE: SFE) and Vice Chairman of the Board for TechAmerica. “However, there are tech manufacturing, telecommunications and the space coast – all of which continue to offer Floridians high-paying jobs. TechAmerica Foundation’s Cybercities report shows that Palm Bay-Melbourne was one of only a handful of U.S. cities to add high-tech jobs in the midst of recession and has one of the highest concentrations of tech industry workers. In addition, the Miami, Tampa, and Orlando areas all remain tech hubs for the Sunshine state.”
    What Does High Tech Mean for Orlando (including Osceola)?

• 44,300 high-tech workers in 2009 (28th ranked)
• 1,900 jobs lost between 2008 and 2009 (38th ranked)
• High-tech firms employed 52 of every 1,000 private sector workers in 2009 (39th ranked)
• High-tech workers earned an average wage of $66,500 (53rd ranked), or 77 percent more than Orlando’s average private sector wage
• A high-tech payroll of $2.9 billion in 2009 (32nd ranked)
• 2,600 high-tech establishments in 2009 (27th ranked)

    Orlando’s National Industry Sector Rankings:

• 21st in Internet services employment with 4,300 jobs
• 21st in software publishers employment with 2,600 jobs
• 22nd in telecommunication services with 10,000 jobs

 

Buzzett is new DCA chief

    Gov. Rick Scott has appointed St. Joe Co. executive Billy Buzzett as secretary of the Department of Community Affairs, the agency that oversees growth management.  Buzzett is a lawyer, developer and engineer who helped smooth the way for St. Joe’s massive expansion in the Panhandle.
    Buzzett served on Scott’s transition team, which recommended doing away with the agency, something Scott has said he would consider.
    Buzzett’s role would be to “better align Department of Community Affairs functions with other functions across state government,” Scott said in a press release.
    Scott also reinstated former Secretary of State Kurt Browning, who quit after Gov. Charlie Crist jumped the GOP and became an independent.
    And Scott said former Washington DC public schools chancellor Michelle Rhee, who served on his transition team, would remain as his education advisor. He and Rhee will visit a charter school in Opalocka Thursday morning.

Webster scores seat on key committees

     Congressman-elect Daniel Webster (R-Winter Garden) received the nomination from Speaker-designate John Boehner to serve on the influential House Rules Committee. This nomination was approved by Republican Caucus, securing Webster’s placement on the House Rules Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the 112th Congress.
    Speaker-designate John Boehner said the following about Webster’s selection:    
   “Daniel Webster is a principled reformer who will work with his colleagues to pursue a legislative process that produces constitutional and efficient public policy for America’s hardworking taxpayers. His experience with procedure and fresh ideas on how to best reform Washington are extremely valuable on this influential committee.” 
    Webster on nomination to the House Rules Committee:
    “I thank Speaker-designate John Boehner for entrusting me with this important role on the House Rules Committee.  The way business is done is Washington must change dramatically. I hope to bring more transparency to the process and advance a policy environment based on principle, not power.”
    Webster on Transportation and Infrastructure Seat:
    “I look forward to working with Chairman John Mica to create jobs, improve Florida’s roads and highways, and find ways to save money by eliminating fraud and abuse.  Central Florida has unique transportation needs and I look forward to examining ways to grow our economy through transit.”

CES News in 3 Dimensions

    Thanks to Engadget for this item from the CES show in Las Vegas: "Just when we were getting used to the introduction of passive glasses 3D into the formerly active shutter-only home arena Samsung LCD Business and RealD will show off another option at this year's CES that is apparently based on the ZScreen technology RealD licensed last year. According to the two, RDZ LCD HDTVs are compatible with the cheaper RealD glasses already in use in theaters, by making the panel itself an active switching LCD instead. Compared to the patterned retarder passive 3D we expect to see from Vizio and LG, this has the advantage of not cutting the resolution of whatever you're watching in half, although they would likely still claim advantages in brightness and lack of flicker. We'll have to let our eyes tell us which is the best approach but the fact this is coming from Samsung's business LCD division instead of its consumer arm suggests the price of any displays that are eventually released will be something beyond the 3D capable TVs we're used to so far."
    Osceola's Custom Plastic Developments Inc. makes the ReadD glasses in its Kissimmee facility.

Scott Taps New DEP Secretary

Gov. Rick Scott on Monday appointed Hershel Vinyard, director of Jacksonville-based BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards, as his new Florida Department of Environmental Protection secretary. Vinyard served as vice president for Jacksonville Atlantic Marine Holding Co. before the company sold its Jacksonville operations to international defense contractor BAE Systems last year. Vinyard, an environmental attorney, serves on the Jacksonville Port Authority’s board, and he is a member of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Manufactures Association of Florida.