Here we highlight selected innovation related articles from around the world on a daily basis. These articles related to innovation and funding for innovative companies, and best practices for innovation based economic development.
A Quest for Batteries to Alter the Energy Equation
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — In a gleaming white factory here, Bob Peters was gently feeding sheets of chemical-coated foil one afternoon recently into a whirring machine that cut them into precise rectangles. It was an early step in building a new kind of battery, one smaller than a cereal box but with almost as much energy as the kind in a conventional automobile.
British Government To Civil Servants: Go Forth And Tweet by Andrew R. Hickey
South African innovation agency takes shape by Linda Nording
[CAPE TOWN] South Africa's government has taken a key step towards establishing an agency that it hopes will improve the country's patchy record in commercialising research.
Science minister Naledi Pandor unveiled the board members of the soon-to-be-launched Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) in Johannesburg this month (6 July).
Green Wineries Embrace Innovation from the Fields to the Bottle by Anna Clark
Consumers are discovering that going green doesn't mean the end of the good life. On the contrary, when it comes to wines, sustainability makes them even better. Word is getting out, spurring a plethora of wines labeled "sustainable" to appear on the shelves of retailers like Whole Foods. No surprises there, since every industry these days recognizes the potential of reaching the LOHAS market.
Innovation - playing the game right by Brian McNamee
The Australian press is full of references to the innovation economy, after a proliferation of reports focusing on the issue. We are told it is central to Australia’s future position in the global economy. There are calls from all quarters — politicians, academics, business and community leaders — for Australia to be more innovative and for governments at all levels to foster more innovation. Laudable as this is, what does this mean for governments and businesses? And if we do become more innovative, how can we ensure that Australia is the beneficiary?
House Passes Proposed 3 Percent NIH Funding Increase
NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – The US House of Representatives on Friday passed a 2010 budget for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education that would increase funding for the National Institutes of Health by nearly $1 billion over its appropriation for 2009.
In Malta, a landmark on the road to innovation by Charles E. Schumer
The global economic downturn has many looking to narrow their vision and protect their local interests, yet the interconnectedness of the problems we face today points in the opposite direction. We need alternative fuel cars, smart oil fields and better trading platforms. The economy will improve, but first America's model for innovation needs new, better and more sustainable ideas.
Some companies and entrepreneurs are great at innovation. Some suck at it.
Kevin Ryan is the former CEO of DoubleClick and Founder/Chairman of Gilt Groupe (and The Business Insider). In this clip, Kevin shares his top three secrets to successful innovation.
€34 million Invested by Enterprise Ireland Partnership Funds in 2008
Today (Friday 24th July 2009) Feargal Ó Móráin, Director of Corporate and Investment Services at Enterprise Ireland, launched the Enterprise Ireland Seed and Venture Capital report for 2008. In 2008, Enterprise Ireland partnership funds made 104 investments worth €34 million. These investments are spread across all sectors, with a particularly strong focus on communications, life sciences and software. Investments were made in both innovative start up and expanding companies spread throughout the regions. This brings total investment made under all three Enterprise Ireland supported seed and venture capital programmes to €459 million at end 2008.
O'Brien: Clouds are gathering over the venture capital industry by Chris O'Brien
The past couple of weeks brought another round of startup funding data that reinforced my belief that the venture capital industry is staring into the abyss.
The money coming in to VC firms, and the money going out, were both bleak. It's the latest clue that a massive shakeout looms for a VC industry that remains bloated from the dot-com boom days.
What To Look For In A Venture Capital Firm by Venture Capital Dispatch
...venture capital takes a big risk on you and demands a commensurate return. But you know that six more months of financing could make the difference between your start-up failing before the first customer walks in and a blockbuster success. Here are a few clues as to how to find the right venture firm and make the most of the relationship.
Federal grant helps UF create Florida Innovation Hub
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The federal Economic Development Administration has awarded the University of Florida an $8.2 million grant to help create the Florida Innovation Hub at UF, a facility officials describe as a “super incubator.”
The 45,000-square-foot facility, slated to be built on what is now a parking lot at Shands AGH, will nurture start-up companies in much the same way as the Sid Martin Biotech Incubator in Alachua. But the Florida Innovation Hub will also become home to the university’s main commercialization efforts. The building is scheduled for completion by December 2011.
