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Four State Programs Lauded for Boosting Entrepreneurs including Idaho’s "TechConnect"

Four state initiatives spurring entrepreneurship and economic growth, and demonstrating market-based results, have won national "Best Practices" awards from the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The winners were:

* Idaho’s "TechConnect" http://technology.idaho.gov/Portal/ICL/alias__technology.idaho/tabID__5496/DesktopDefault.aspx program for Best Practice in educational efforts to promote entrepreneurship. Led by a governor-appointed Board of Directors, TechConnect conducts workshops, provides counseling, and connects entrepreneurs with resources at universities, the Idaho National Lab, economic development agencies, and state government. TechConnect staff provide information on access to capital, legal assistance, financial planning, and mentoring.

* The Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute http://www.mtech.umd.edu/ at the University of Maryland’s "Maryland Industrial Partnership Program" for Best Practice in technology transfer programs. The Industrial Partnerships program accelerates commercialization of technology by providing matching funds for collaborative R&D projects between companies and University of Maryland faculty.

* The Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s "SmartZone" http://medc.michigan.org/smartzones/ initiative for Best Practice in regional economic incentives. SmartZones are collaborations between universities, industry, research organizations, government, and community institutions intended to stimulate technology-based business growth by focusing on clusters and commercialization, patents, and other R&D efforts.

* The Wisconsin Department of Commerce’s http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/ efforts to reduce state small business regulatory burden for Best Practice in regulatory flexibility.

Co-sponsored by the Office of Advocacy of the SBA, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Council of State Governments, and the National Lieutenant Governors Association, Putting It Together: The Role of Entrepreneurship in Economic Development featured nineteen state entrepreneurship and economic development finalists from across the country. Their presentations focused on how to create environments where entrepreneurship, and economic development, can flourish.
Related Links:

* Conference Web site http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/conference.html

* Idaho TechConnect http://technology.idaho.gov/Portal/ICL/alias__technology.idaho/tabID__5496/DesktopDefault.aspx

* Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute http://www.mtech.umd.edu/

* Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s ”SmartZone” http://medc.michigan.org/smartzones/

* SBA Press Release http://www.sba.gov/advo/press/05-11.html

* Wisconsin Department of Commerce http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/

http://www.nga.org/center/frontAndCenter/1,1188,C_FRONT_CENTER%5ED_8132,00.html

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