NDE-news: May 9 - 13, 2005

Patent System Reform Focus of Washington Conference

Following years of review and study of the U.S. Patent System, the National Academies Board on Science Technology and Economics (STEP) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have issued reports with recommendations on modernizing U.S. Patent Law. The American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) thoroughly reviewed both reports and prepared detailed responses to each. The three groups recently teamed up for a series of regional meetings to discuss differences of detail in the largely consistent recommendations of the three organizations in anticipation of congressional hearings. A summary symposium – scheduled for June 9 in Washington, DC - will share the results of those meetings and focus on the case for addressing patent system reform from a diverse set of business, judicial, and academic perspectives. The one-day program will feature executives of large and small business and entrepreneurs in different industries, members of the federal trial and appellate benches, and scholars who have conducted empirical research on how the system is working.

To register for this free conference, send your name and affiliation to CSchultz@nas.edu.

Download the recommendations from the National Academies Board on Science Technology and Economics (STEP)
Download the recommendations from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
View the comments from the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)

America’s Failing Infrastructure

While entrepreneurs bring many new ideas and approaches to the world of business, they don’t differ from traditional companies in their reliance on adequate infrastructure as a key foundation for business success. Unfortunately, most American communities are failing on this front. The latest report card from the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE) assesses the US’s physical plant and doesn’t find much worth bragging about. The report card assess a range of assets, including highways, schools, wastewater treatment, and energy. Every sector receives a poor grade, and the overall grade for the US is a D. The costs associated with this neglect are even scarier. The ASCE estimates that $1.6 trillion in new investment (over five years) would be required to remedy these problems.

The 2005 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, by the American Society for Civil Engineers is available at http://www.asce.org/reportcard/2005/index.cfm?pic=3

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Network
Wisconsin Department of Commerce
201 West Washington Avenue
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 267-9384
http://commerce.wi.gov/Act255/BD-Act255-WEN.html

Wisconsin is in the midst of a major shift in its economic development activities. As part of Governor Jim Doyle’s “Grow Wisconsin” Initiative, the state Commerce Department has recently unveiled the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Network. The program is quite new, and is backed by a $1 million investment from the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. It will create a host of regional support centers as well as four major regional technology transfer centers. The project has an ambitious goal of reaching out to 10,000 Wisconsin residents in its first year. While many of these programs are just getting underway, the Commerce website already includes a number of useful resources.

Correction: Last week’s issue of NDE-news misidentified Mosaica Education in the article on the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and Inc. Magazine’s Inner City 100. The company is headquartered in New York City.

Week of May 9 - May 13, 2005