NorTech

As reported in Saturday’s Plain Dealer, Ohio’s high tech exports are up 19% from last year-nearly double the national average. The good news comes from a recent report, “Cyberstates 2007: A Complete State-by-State Overview of the High-Technology Industry,” produced by AeA, a trade organization formerly known as the American Electronics Association. To download a copy of the report, click here.

From the Plain Dealer:

In a state known for its smokestacks, it might come as a surprise that Ohio’s exports of high-tech goods increased by 19 percent in 2006 - nearly double the national average.Less surprising is that most of the companies driving that growth are in the industrial electronics industry, according to a study released this week by AeA, a trade organization formerly known as the American Electronics Association. Those companies make electrical parts for machinery, ranging from measuring equipment to robotic controls.”Ohio has always had a strong manufacturing base,” said AeA spokesman Ed Longanecker. He said companies that make high-tech products for that industry are seeing the biggest growth in exports, especially as manufacturing operations move overseas.  

High-tech exports nationwide increased 10 percent to $220 billion, with 37 states seeing increases. California, Texas and Florida were the top three exporters, respectively.  

Ohio ranked sixteenth in the country overall, and seventh for exports in the industrial electronics industry, the study said. The latter increased by 20 percent from $1 billion in 2005 to $1.2 billion in 2006.”Ohio has put a really strong focus on the areas that we believe we’re good at,” said Chris Mather, vice president of NorTech, an organization that aims to build Northeast Ohio’s technology industry. “Hopefully this shows that all the work we’ve done to improve the high-tech economy here is starting to pay off.”  

Mr. Mather is referring to the region’s high tech companies focused on production of high tech electronics manufacturing, including: Rockwell Automation, ABB, Keithley Instruments, Parker Hannifin and smaller companies as well. Groups such as NorTech’s Northeast Ohio Electronics Cluster and Ohio ICE (which stands for Instruments, Controls and Electronics) help to convene Northeast Ohio’s electronics industry and academic leaders to spur collaborations to and commercialize more electronics based products in the region.

The State of Ohio’s Third Frontier Project, has also helped Ohio’s high tech industries by awarding grants for companies to continue their research and development efforts to commercialize high tech products and services. In fact, nearly $300 million has been invested in Northeast Ohio companies, organizations and institutions over the past five years, according to an article in Sunday’s Plain Dealer. These types of investments can begin to move our regional and state technology economy forward and make Ohio a leader in technology innovation and product commercialization.

Discussion on the topic of a Medical Mart in Cleveland continues with the launch of new website, http://www.ashotinthearm.org/, to promote the convention center/medical mart concept for the city. The Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland produced the site with assistance from the Greater Cleveland Partnership.

From http://www.ashotinthearm.org/:

The Medical Mart would be a year-round show place for medical devices and instruments of all types, where commercial buyers and sellers from all over the globe would come to Cleveland to exchange medical products.In short, the Medical Mart will bring high-economic-impact visitors to Cleveland, increase revenue for hotels, restaurants and retailers, focus the world’s attention on Cleveland as the cutting-edge leader of medical innovations, create an atmosphere for companies in the medical industry to relocate to Cleveland and foster growth for the city.

Want to learn more about the proposed idea for a Medical Mart in Cleveland? Attend an upcoming public forum on the topic - on July 26 or August 3. See forum details below.Thursday, July 26 - Public Hearing
Time:  11 a.m.
Location:  Cleveland Public Library, 325 Superior Avenue N.E., Downtown Cleveland

Friday, August 3, 2007 - The City Club of Cleveland Friday Forum Speaker Series
Time: 12 noon
Location:  The City Club of Cleveland, 850 Euclid Avenue, 2nd Floor, Downtown Cleveland

* NorTech is a proud supporter of a Medical Mart in Cleveland and believes it will be an added benefit to Northeast Ohio’s high tech economy.  

According to the latest issues of Small Times Magazine, Ohio has ranked 10th in the all-category state rankings survey for the third consecutive year in row.

Events such as the Ohio Nanotechnology Summit and the Nano-Network’s Nano Week sponsored by NorTech,  help Ohio gain national visibility and maintain a competitive edge. Based on the survey, Ohio scored good marks in Industry, Innovation, Research and Workforce, but could use a little help in the Venture Capital category. Overall, it was a strong showing from Ohio.

From Small Times:

In this summation of the category-specific state rankings that Small Times has produced over the past several issues, we reveal the ultimate all-category standings of U.S. states that lead the nation in small tech. Our rankings incorporate previously reported scores in the areas of venture capital (July/Aug. 2006), industry (Sept./Oct. 2006), research (Nov./Dec. 2006), innovation (Jan./Feb. 2007), and work force (Mar./Apr. 2007)-and they follow standard models for tracking knowledge-based economies. Click here to read the full report. 

Below is a list of the top ten states that faired well in the survey.

1. California
2. Massachusetts
3. New Mexico
4. New York
5. Michigan
6. Texas
7. Maryland
8. Illinois
9. Pennsylvania
10. Ohio 

According to the Plain Dealer, fuel cells and electronic patient medical records topped President Bush’s agenda when he visited Cleveland this past Tuesday.

The first stop for President Bush was GrafTech International, a local maker of hydrogen fuel cells. He praised GrafTech’s work in fuel cell research and development and explained how such technology would lessen the United States dependence on Middle Eastern oil.  Then President Bush was off to the Cleveland Clinic, to tour the world-class medical facility and talk with doctors at the Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute. Bush also discussed the need for greater use of technology in how doctors keep track of medical records.

According to Bush, “My stop in Cleveland has been really aimed at heralding technology,” he said during an afternoon speech to Greater Cleveland Partnership, one of the country’s largest chambers of commerce and Ohio’s largest economic development organization. President Bush also took a liking to the regional marketing initiative, Cleveland Plus, showing off a Cleveland+ bumper sticker to members of the audience.

At NorTech, we are working on an initiative that speaks directly to President Bush’s point regarding the need for electronic patient medical records.  

For the past year, NorTech, has been working in cooperation with OneCommunity and other regional healthcare stakeholders to develop a Northeast Ohio Regional Health Information Organization (NEO RHIO). The goal of the group is to create a system for electronic information sharing to improve health care and health outcomes for citizens in Northeast Ohio. The group has explored the feasibility of using information technology to securely and reliably exchange patient healthcare information between provider organizations throughout the region. Progress on this initiative continues to move forward with the goal of launching the NEO RHIO in the near future to facilitiate the exchange of electronic medical health records among provider organizations in Northeast Ohio.

Join Ingenuity Festival fans on Wednesday, July 11 for a preview of Ingenuity 2007.  Come experience the synergy that’s created when artists, innovators, and researchers come together who are behind the technological advances that are fueling Northeast Ohio’s new economy. Experience “new media” and learn from the experts about the groundbreaking research in liquid crystals, nanotechnology and sensor technology taking place in Northeast Ohio’s universities.

Event: Our Place in the Urban Age: Ingenuity, Embracing the Creativity in Technology and the Technology in Creativity Location: Cleveland State University, Levin College of Urban Affairs, 171 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
RSVP: This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are requested at http://urban.csuohio.edu/forum or by calling 216.523.7330

**The 2007 Ingenuity Festival will be held 2007 will be held at Playhouse Square and Cleveland State University, July 19-22nd. For more information, visit: www.ingenuitycleveland.com/

As reported in last Friday’s Plain Dealer, NorTech Vice President Chris Varley will work with the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission over the next six months to help the county pursue its vision of a renewed Cuyahoga River Valley. Mr. Varley will focus on structuring a nonprofit entity and exploring development prospects for the valley initiative. Cuyahoga County commissioners launched the regional strategy in 2004 to restore habitat, revitalize industry and establish 150 square miles of the valley - from Cleveland to Akron - as a national destination. To learn more and become involved with the Cuyahoga Valley Initiative, please visist: www.cuyahogavalley.net/

The Entrepreneurial Signature Program, a newly funded set of programs and activities designed by the State of Ohio’s Third Frontier Program, will substantially increase support to entrepreneurs working within Northeast Ohio’s technological strengths: Biosciences and Healthcare; Polymers, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing; Electronics, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Advanced Energy. The program represents the state’s largest ever financial commitment to entrepreneurship.

A total of $15 million dollars has been awarded to a Northeast Ohio consortium (led by NorTech), made up of regional incubators and investment funds. The group will use the money to invest in companies, fund support services, and operations for the program. $6 million will be used by regional firms that will invest in emerging technology companies. The remaining $9 million will go toward services for entrepreneurs, including classes and expert coaching.

NorTech has been working closely with the region’s technology incubators to prepare for the Entrepreneurial Signature program (ESP) launch in September 2007. Please stay tuned to www.nortech.org  for more details. For more information, please contact Chris Mather at NorTech.

Nanovate, a program of NorTech, gives companies a rare opportunity to take advantage of low-cost technical consulting services to determine if integrating nanotechnology into their business model or products may benefit the company’s product offerings. Nanovate was created to give Northeast Ohio companies a globally- competitive edge in their respective industries.

Custom Rubber Corp., a company that supplies rubber parts to a variety of American and international companies including small, mid-size and large manufacturers. NorTech has helped them investigate how nanomaterials may be incorporated into rubber and how novel coatings or surface treatments may improve various properties. This insight into cutting-edge research and development is helping Custom Rubber think about next generation rubber products using nanotechnology.

Another participant in the program is an automotive manufacturing company who investigating how to improve their product line and processes. Specifically, NorTech is helping them explore potential solutions to processing obstacles that they have encountered during automotive manufacturing as well as property enhancements brought about through incorporation of nanostructures into the materials used in these processes.

The Nanovate program is available to all Northeast Ohio companies, subject to certain eligibility requirements. To sign up for the Nanovate program click here. Questions about Nanovate? Contact Alexis Abramson at NorTech, 216-274-0246.

For the past decade, NorTech has celebrated Northeast Ohio companies and innovators that have significantly improved and contributed to the regional technology economy. This year, NorTech will recognize technologies that have the potential to dramatically impact a specific industry or market sector.

Are you working on a new innovative technology product?  Are you creating a new procedure that improves your company’s productivity or business value? Does it have a positive impact on Northeast Ohio and our economy? Nominate your company/organization for the NorTech Innovation Awards today!

Winners will be announced November 13th during the NorTech Summit. Please contact Andrea McDonald at NorTech for more details.

Visit www.neotechjobs.com to be connected to thousands of online high job postings for employment opportunities in Northeast Ohio. Currently, there are approximately 5,300 high tech jobs unfilled, coming from employers all over the region. Employers also have ability to search a resume database to meet their talent needs.

Talent may be a growth-limiting factor in Northeast Ohio’s high tech economy if we cannot find a solution.  NorTech believes Neotechjobs.com will help to fill existing high tech employment opportunities for regional high tech employers and begin to close the gap on the demand for talent.