Results tagged “accelerating innovation” from Capitol Valley

3 points:

How to accelerate innovation

Smart Policies / Collaboration

How to get innovation to market.

Banerjee notes that this takes places on a 6 month time period, they've focused to 20 or 30(!) areas where they will focus resources. 

2nd, they've enacted policies to foster collaboration across groups, called "open innovation." This can include private sector, academia, government, etc. Collaboration is key.

3, nothing can get done w/o smart policy. Role for private sector - need to solve problems and anticipate customers' needs and invest in R&D for exciting products. Role for public sector - need an "innovation stimulus package" (e.g. R&D tax credit). Patent reform - less litigation.

Also, this is BIG, the U.S. Government needs to raise more funds for R&D - DARPA style.

Kali - "Ivory Tower" image of academia is not the reality. Students are solving real world problems. Dealing with larger world issues using technology. Faculty and students are motivated. What flows from this is increasing recognition that real-world problems transcend disciplinary boundaries. example - biologists want to know how geckos walk up walls, scientists want to design robotic geckos (GEICO BEWARE!!!)

Third, University-Industry collaboration is increasing, both between U's and public and private sectors. Semiconductor industry is relying on universities to find the "next transistor." 

Innovation is becoming student led. Berkeley has a program that sends grants directly to students. Google, anyone? He's got a good point for giving students autotomy early in their careers.

Kali's policy recommendations - help out the research universities - RESTORE DARPA!!! Need more high risk, short-term research, programs that give matching funds for university-industry collaboration. Staple green cards to science and engineering graduates. 

Some agencies have no capacity for research. K-12 education has ZERO research and development budget for new learning technologies. Potato chip companies put more R&D into their products than education. 

Mitchell - There is a link between innovation and economic growth. Very clear indicators (references Kali) about opportunities versus problems. Again emphasizes need for more links between academia and industry, not only in economic hubs, but everywhere. 

Many "star scientists" are immigrants who need H1B Visas and can't just go into academia. Need immigration policy to match tech policy and avoid "brain drain" to India and China. 

Here's a big one - huge decrease in funding for state universities from state governments...has increased push from universities to ask for more licensing fees for technologies (WISCell anyone?) Someone look up the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. 

Good news! We are seeing pushback in the "life science" and "computer science" patent areas. Perhaps the CAFC review of the "process patent" concept will reverse this. Education re patent practices is starting to pay off, though. Kaufmann foundation works to understand the link between growth and innovation, and it's working. Now we need to move it to the heartland (UIUC, Wisconsin, Michigan, etc). Ugh, she said "The World is Flat." Oh, well.

Thompson - Most Americans don't know what innovation is, don't know if Government is providing adequate support, if there is support for companies to invest in innovation, if it's good and how we construct it so it appears in your classroom, on television, or your workplace. Not only are we the innovators, we are the market for innovation. Where we stand w/r/t other countries is that they have made it a national priority to use innovation as a way to move forward. We have a vested interest in investing in our future and holding onto what we have, but not many realize that they are one and the same. That's the challenge.

8am - Moderator asks about collaborative innovation between companies, and that openness is important. Good call.

All panelists agree that the Government needs to take a role in pushing for more collaboration between all innovation sectors. I'm thinking back to Jonathan Taplin (USC's) "What about DARPA?" comment from the Politics Online conference a few weeks back. He's on a panel this afternoon.