Crandi

Building Bridges How Collaborative State And Regional Innovation Hubs

Leo Migdal
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building bridges how collaborative state and regional innovation hubs

Over the past five years, EF+Math has shown how interdisciplinary teams can co-create innovative, equity-centered math learning experiences that support When an email from the principal lands in teacher inboxes asking for volunteers, it doesn’t always lead to transformative experiences. “There’s a misconception that students are done developing reading skills by the end of 3rd grade, after which they read 2. The Role of Local Entrepreneurs in Economic Development 5.

Challenges and Solutions in Regional Entrepreneurship 6. Government Policies and Their Impact on Local Startups 7. Building a Supportive Ecosystem for Entrepreneurs 9.

Sustaining Momentum in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Kevin Cushnie leads Product Engineering, Innovation and Technology Advisory for MC Systems. An Experis U.K. 2025 Talent Shortage survey confirms what many of us already know about the shortage of IT skills: 75% of IT and data employers struggle to fill roles, with IT skills remaining the most challenging... Emerging markets have a wealth of untapped technical talent. The smartest companies are quietly building innovation ecosystems that access and cultivate real talent.

This isn't about moving your call center to save costs. It's about building strategic differentiation that your rivals can't easily replicate. After helping establish regional hubs across Southeast Asia and Europe, I've seen what works and what doesn't. Based on this experience, this article outlines four strategies for building regional hubs that create sustainable competitive advantages. Most companies approach regional expansion like a procurement exercise: find cheaper resources, ship work overseas and measure cost savings. It works, but it's not a game-changer.

The FY 2025 Tech Hubs Notice of Funding Opportunity, open to the 19 designated Tech Hubs that have not received EDA Tech Hubs Implementation Funds, is now available. The Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) Program will serve as a key investment in this Administration’s America First agenda—strengthening our nation’s economic competitiveness and national security by ensuring that the industries of... Through strategic, local investments, the Tech Hubs Program unleashes the potential of American regions with the assets, talent, and capacity to become global leaders in critical technologies within the next decade. Funded projects increase the speed and effectiveness with which industry and other partner organizations accelerate technology commercialization efforts. These investments fuel U.S. manufacturing, enhance the nation’s warfighting capabilities, and ensure that high-quality, high-paying jobs return to and remain on American soil.

On October 23, 2023, EDA announced the inaugural 31 designated Tech Hubs—cross-sector consortia, led by Regional Innovation Officers (RIOs). Designation signals strong federal support for each consortium’s vision to grow its critical technology ecosystem and become a global leader over the next decade. Designated Tech Hubs became eligible to apply for Implementation awards supporting projects in workforce development, startup support, technology maturation, infrastructure, and governance. On July 2, 2024, EDA announced $504 million in Implementation awards for 12 of the 31 designated Tech Hubs. The remaining 19 Tech Hubs received Consortium Accelerator Awards of $500,000 each to advance their strategies and attract additional investment. EDA also awarded $500,000 each to 18 Strategy Development Grantees to support local coordination and planning.

Co-Authored by Leanlab Education, AERDF, ALI, InnovateEDU, and Learner-Centered Collaborative. The traditional landscape of education innovation often feels siloed. Researchers conduct studies, edtech startups build tools, investors inject capital, and educators are left at the tail end, hoping something works for their students. This incoherent marketplace, where solutions often lack substantial evidence of their effectiveness and are built without a deep understanding of the problems, was the central challenge addressed during the session “Uncovering the Hidden Gems:... Over 100 visionary leaders explored the possibilities for innovation hubs that enable more collaborative learning and experimentation, aligning with each community’s unique needs and strengths. Together, the group uncovered promising state and regional gems of innovation where more learner-centered education along with research and development (R&D) infrastructures are being created with communities of schools, teachers, and learners.

These hubs, envisioned as collaborative ecosystems that span cities and states, unite local educators, researchers, technologists, and community leaders to foster innovation and drive progress. They offer a framework for collaborative learning, experimentation, and progress, tailored to each community's unique needs and strengths. This ISTE+ASCD session built on previous collective work among the coalition of the five education innovation organizations at ASU+GSV 2025. There, over 20 national leaders gathered to explore the promise of such state and regional innovation hubs in helping communities prepare for future educational challenges. Guided by the "Seizing the Opportunity for State Education R&D" brief—published by ALI, Transcend, and Education Reimagined—participants evaluated the urgency and importance of its eight recommendations for developing these regional hubs. The ISTE+ASCD session kicked off with an opening from Joseph South, Chief Innovation Officer, ISTE ASCD, welcoming attendees and inviting them to discover where education innovation is already thriving and join fellow educators and...

Next AERDF CEO Auditi Chakravarty shared the organization’s powerful vision for sparking breakthroughs in education. AERDF’s approach draws inspiration from successful advanced R&D models in energy, health, and defense and enhances those models by starting with a collaborative ecosystem where teachers, learners, and practitioners are engaged from the outset. This isn't just about collecting feedback; it's about co-designing and co-developing solutions through iterative cycles of research informing development and vice versa. AERDF focuses on the "front end of scientific discovery and invention," seeking the fundamental new science or technical capabilities needed to solve persistent, complex problems in education. Across the country, cities and states increasingly view innovation as a cornerstone of economic growth. They're making targeted investments in dynamic programs, comprehensive resources, and appealing incentives designed to build thriving startup ecosystems.

These initiatives attract high-growth businesses, engage entrepreneurial talent, and transform communities into centers of innovation and opportunity. As a result, Silicon Valley no longer has a monopoly on entrepreneurial success. States such as Colorado, New Mexico, Massachusetts, and Maryland demonstrate that with strategic support and investment, innovation can thrive anywhere, positively reshaping local economies and communities. FedTech collaborates closely with federal, state, local, and regional governments to transform these visionary goals into reality. By aligning skilled entrepreneurs with clear objectives, we spark groundbreaking ventures, enhance local capabilities, and attract critical private investments. Our proven approach accelerates regional innovation ecosystems, delivering sustainable job creation, rapid technology commercialization, and long-term economic benefits.

A thriving regional innovation ecosystem is more than a single incubator or a lone research university. It requires a network of interdependent actors that includes universities, entrepreneur-support organizations (ESOs), funders, co-working hubs, incubators, accelerators, and talent pipelines. When these players coordinate, they stitch scattered assets into a cohesive growth engine, and targeted public investment amplifies their impact by supplying critical capital, facilities, and market-opening opportunities. At the same time, soaring costs in legacy hubs are pushing founders to look elsewhere. The Bay Area’s share of U.S. venture-capital deals slid to a record low of 18.6 percent in 2023, highlighting a decisive migration of investment toward emerging regions (Cheng, 2023).

Budding tech centers counter Silicon Valley’s cost pressures with lower living expenses, state incentives, and easier access to office and lab space, making it both practical and appealing for entrepreneurs to build locally.

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