It’s tempting to look forward to the new year — especially after such an abysmal 2020 for so many.

But before we do, let’s not forget all that happened in the region’s innovation ecosystem this year. It wasn’t all bad.

Here, we recap some of the top trends, events and topics over the last 12 months.

Image: Before we say goodbye to 2020, let's look back at the top stories of the year. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

More than 50 local leaders have mapped out an economic recovery strategy for the Washington area that they say would leave it more unified, resilient and prosperous than before the novel coronavirus upended the region.

Connected DMV — a group representing the local academic, nonprofit, public and private sectors — initially came together in March 2019 to drive economic growth in the D.C. area. When the pandemic struck a year later, the group pivoted to creating what it calls a “strategic renewal” task force, which issued a report this month with 12 initiatives to remedy the region’s social and economic challenges.

High-tech innovators in Washington State have made our region a world leader in creating important new technologies.  Supporting these innovators was one of my major goals during the years I spent in Congress, and it still is today as I work with entrepreneurs, mostly based in our state, to create, fund, and develop new businesses.

But innovation doesn’t happen by itself.  Among other things, it requires a fair system for protecting intellectual property, especially patents, so that innovators can get the benefit of their inventions and are encouraged to keep on innovating.

After almost a year of limiting our contact with the people in our lives and humanity in general, it’s hard to imagine a future where we freely move about our cities and towns going to meetings, errands, and social events. And it may be even harder to envision doing so in driverless taxis that look sort of like giant toasters on wheels. But go ahead and fire up your imagination—and your hope for a near future filled with socialization instead of social distancing—because Amazon is doing just that.

Image: https://singularityhub.com - Amazon

The year 1995 was a good time to be an entrepreneur. Especially a high-tech entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, with the internet boom starting, the economy growing, venture capitalists searching for new investments, and a whole horizon of novel business ideas to explore.

Indeed, a new study co-authored by an MIT professor shows that U.S. startups founded in 1995 enjoyed more growth than startups founded in any other year from 1988 to 2014. Other things being equal, the startups of 1995 were three times as likely to grow significantly as those from 2007, which had to battle through the 2008-2009 Great Recession.

Today’s customers demand more than a good product; they expect a great customer experience. A few companies are leading the way, including Apple with their iPad and iPhone, offering irresistible stores with friendly experts, elegant packaging, and customer service that never ends. People love Apple’s whole customer experience, and willingly pay a premium for the product.

Image: https://blog.startupprofessionals.com

Canada is losing tech talent and as a consequence, Canadian companies are trying to attract foreign talent to move north.

This is according to a report published December 2020, by Innovation Economy Council entitled Magnetic North: How Canada Holds its Own in the Global Race for Innovation Talent.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the Canadian economy, affecting three million jobs in the process.

Occupations in the information and technology sector also took a hit when Canada went into lockdown to curb the spread of the virus. However, unlike other occupations, STEM jobs have recovered spectacularly.

More than ever before, people want to buy from, work for, and invest in companies that matter. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting a new business, or a corporate executive seeking to revitalize a mature business, the challenge is the same – to become the obvious choice within the hearts and minds of your customers, your employees, and your chosen communities.

BioTalk Media Award-Winning Podcast BioTalk Welcomes Dr. James Crowe, Director, Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Professor, Pediatrics and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Ann Scott Carell Chair and Founder of ID Biologics.

The latest on the innovations that will let us go back to normal.

This has been a devastating year. More than 1.6 million people have died in the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 75 million cases and tens of trillions of dollars in economic damages. Millions of people are out of work and struggling to pay their bills, and more than a billion children are missing out on crucial time in school. In the U.S., this year also saw the horrifying killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, ruinous wildfires, and a presidential election unlike any other in modern times.

Image: https://www.linkedin.com

A study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine shows men who wind up in the hospital due to COVID-19 have a 30% higher death rate than women who are also hospitalized.

That’s one of the key take-aways from a new study that looked at nearly 67,000 patients in over 600 hospitals across the country. The University of Maryland researchers reviewed patients who entered the hospital between April and June of this year.

The goal of the study was to look at which preexisting conditions among hospitalized patients were the best predictors of death.

1. SERENA WILLIAMS Professional tennis player and founder, Serena Ventures and S by Serena

“Morning time is tennis time. Afternoon time is business time. I’m really, really organized with my time.”

Covid-19 has disrupted the workplace in ways that no one could have predicted. While everyone is facing unprecedented challenges, one group that has been severely impacted is women. And we're not just talking about women losing their jobs. According to the 2020 Women in the Workplace study—the largest study on the state of women in corporate America—1 in 4 women is considering downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce entirely. Another survey conducted by Chief, the private network driving more women into positions of power, reveals that the pandemic is forcing women to change course even if they weren't directly laid off.

The "self-made" title is a badge many entrepreneurs wear proudly. It's seen as the gold standard for success. You've done the undoable and beaten the odds stacked against you to create something that separates you from countless others. So now you get to claim all the glory — or do you?

The idea of being self-made — although a massive self-pat on the back — is in reality a myth. Entrepreneurial success relies on the insights, guidance, experiences, observations and interactions of others. The following are five reasons the self-made entrepreneur is a myth. 

By Diane Harrison Of healthpsa.info

Whether it's an app that promises to help you sleep better or a genetic testing company offering insights into your health and heritage, it seems like there's a new health-based tech company emerging every day. But have you ever stopped to think about how these helpful companies make their money? While buying apps and DNA test kits generates revenue for health tech companies, for some, the real profit is in selling the health data they collect to third-party companies.

Companies like Hu-manity.co are stepping in and offering consumers the opportunity to reap the profits of their personal health data themselves, but what if you'd rather not put your personal data out into the world at all? If you're concerned about the security of your health information, here's what you need to know.

After more than 10,000 years of relative stability—the full span of human civilization—the Earth’s climate is changing. As average temperatures rise, climate science finds that acute hazards such as heat waves and floods grow in frequency and severity, and chronic hazards, such as drought and rising sea levels, intensify (Exhibit 1). In this report, we focus on understanding the nature and extent of physical risk from a changing climate over the next one to three decades, exploring physical risk as it is the basis of both transition and liability risks.

Image: https://www.mckinsey.com

Entrepreneur has seen many impressive innovators and inspiring leaders rise to this year's challenges. And as we head into the New Year with hope in our hearts, we would like to officially recognize a mystical being whose belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly as the Entrepreneur of 2020

In an age of social distancing, Santa Claus has arguably the toughest job in town. And yet, he has pivoted and problem-solved in unprecedented ways to keep his business on track.

The BioTalk with Rich Bedis Podcast created by the BHI President & CEO and Andy Eckert was awarded the 1st Annual BioBuzz Media Award. This award honors a media campaign that most aligns with our mission; ‘to create exceptional experiences that better connect people and employers and foster a stronger regional ecosystem.’ At its core, it recognizes the media campaigns or platforms that have successfully engaged, informed, and connected people and reflect favorably on the BHCR. Eligible nominations may include social media, podcasts, video series, blog series, event or webinar series, and other advertising, marketing, and public relations campaigns.

Over the last year, the pandemic has caused the global economy to contract by 4.4%. At the same time, one trend has accelerated worldwide: digitalization. As countries face repeated lockdowns, school closures, and shutdowns of entire industries, digital capabilities — whether for remote schooling, e-commerce, or working from home — have become more essential than ever. But how exactly has this played out around the world — and what do governments, businesses, and investors need to do to come out on top?

The venture-capital industry had a stellar year amid the pandemic, at least on the surface.

A handful of top venture-capital firms raised massive funds of $1 billion and more, which propelled the sector to set new records for the year. Collectively, firms raised more capital than ever before and deployed it at a stunning clip during an economic upheaval that many in March predicted would chill the industry.