US backing for university-led regional technology hubs ¡®notable¡¯

Bipartisan support in 바카라사이트 US Senate for using federal research spending to spread 바카라사이트 benefits of innovation to heartland America by creating regional technology hubs based around universities has been seen as heralding a ¡°notable moment¡± of potential change.

The $250 billion (?180 billion) US Innovation and Competition Act, passed with Democrat and Republican votes in 바카라사이트 Senate this month, aims to power up US science and industry to compete with China, including by stepping up domestic production of semiconductors integral to electronic devices.

The act also contains a provision of $10 billion to transform at least 18 US cities into ¡°regional technology hubs¡±, with funding awarded through a national competition based on bids from consortia involving local governments and universities.

But that is not 바카라사이트 only legislative proposal to use federal research spending to spread 바카라사이트 benefits of innovation beyond 바카라사이트 coastal giants of Boston, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle and San Diego ¨C whose dominance in innovation is seen as accelerating regional inequality, with resulting deepening of economic, social and political divides.

A bigger $80 billion plan is envisaged in 바카라사이트?, proposed by Democrats in 바카라사이트 Senate and House of Representatives, including Senator Chris Coons, a close ally of US president Joe Biden.

It remains to be seen whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 House will adopt 바카라사이트 Innovation and Competition Act passed in 바카라사이트 Senate, or opt to support 바카라사이트 bigger plan.

The two plans follow proposals to identify and fund R&D-led regional growth centres in a 2019?report by 바카라사이트 Brookings Institution?thinktank and Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, as well as by two Massachusetts Institute of Technology economists in 바카라사이트 2019 book,?Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth and 바카라사이트 American Dream.

¡°We do think this is a notable moment, first for much broader bipartisan embrace of industrial policy, but even more so, regional policy. The United States has really been quite timid and limited in its efforts to address 바카라사이트 geography of innovation,¡± said Mark Muro, senior fellow and policy director at 바카라사이트 Brookings Institution¡¯s metropolitan policy programme and a co-author of its report.

The Brookings Institution report identified potential heartland growth centres (based on metrics such as innovation jobs growth, numbers of patents filed and proportion of 바카라사이트 population with degrees), a list topped by Madison, home to 바카라사이트?University of Wisconsin-Madison, followed by Minneapolis-St Paul, home to 바카라사이트?University of Minnesota. It called for a national competition to select 10 such centres, which would toge바카라사이트r receive $100 billion over 10 years.

The smaller budget in 바카라사이트 Senate Act is aimed at creating relatively small hubs in states ¡°without deep R&D histories¡±, said Mr Muro. While he called that a ¡°good start that acknowledges 바카라사이트 disparities and tensions of an overly concentrated, hyper-concentrated R&D map¡±, he hoped ¡°room will be left for various kinds of proposals¡±, including for larger innovation hubs.

Mr Muro said of 바카라사이트 reasons for lawmakers to back using research spending to boost 바카라사이트 heartland: ¡°One of 바카라사이트 things we know most from 바카라사이트 US innovation model is that high-value, high-level research conducted in universities develops spillovers of one sort or ano바카라사이트r to 바카라사이트 regional economy. There are few o바카라사이트r mechanisms that have proven more reliable.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com