Hi all - as many of you know I'm on a AAAS Science & Tech Policy Fellowship working in the Executive Branch of the Federal Government - currently serving on detail from the National Science Foundation to the Department of Commerce, Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the EDA.
We recently had the NACIE meeting - the National Advisory Council for Innovation & Entrepreneurship - with the Sec of Commerce, Assistant Sec of the EDA, the Director of the National Science Foundation and the Undersecretary of the USPTO, co-chaired by Steve Case and Kristina Johnson, the President of the Ohio State University. A major focus of the meeting was discussion on the Regional Tech Hubs - this is a $10B initiative focused on regional innovation and entrepreneurship of which there is now $500 million from the CHIPS act that is ready to be deployed. There was a lot of good input from the council about inclusion and equity considerations as this program becomes established, but looking for more ideas on entrepreneurship, innovation and how to implement these regional entrepreneurship drivers.
You all would be fabulous sources - so here's the link for your input - and please contribute your ideas! (the RFI closes March 16) If you have any questions, please let me know. It's exciting to see the government focus on ensuring equity and inclusion considerations from the ground up.
Thanks,
Lakshmi
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Lakshmi Balachandra, MBA, PhD
AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow, NSF
On Detail to:
Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Economic Development Administration
US Department of Commerce
lbalachandra@eda.gov
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