Best practices in science and technology-based economic development policy : U.S. and global

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• In 1995, the state created the Information Technology Policy Council ( ITPC) to focus more on the
development of information technology and its utilization.
• The Economic Development Institute ( EDI) is another major player in economic development,
technology transfer, and enterprise development. EDI, headquartered at Georgia Tech, has 13
regional offices as of 1996 and is still expanding.
• Lastly, the Georgia Research Alliance is a nonprofit organization representing a three- sector
partnership of state government, the business community, and research universities. The
organization’s mission is to foster well- developed university- industry partnerships that leverage
research capability to enhance the economic development of the state.
Strategies
As Figure 1 illustrates, Georgia has focused on three major strategies in developing its science
and technology policy: supporting high- tech startup companies, facilitating university- industry
partnerships, and exploiting information technology.
Supporting High- Tech Startup Companies
EDI has developed and implemented various technology development programs, notably the
Advanced Technology Development Center ( ATDC). ATDC is seen as the most important organization
in Georgia in science and technology policy. Created in 1980 as a branch of EDI, ATDC has played an
important role as a catalyst for high- tech startup development and university- industry partnerships. The
center provides technical and management services through three types of programs targeted to high- tech
startup companies:
• Support Services: ATDC provides assistance with strategic planning, financing, and
marketing to high- tech startup companies accepted into the program. Once accepted, each
company is assigned an ATDC business management consultant to advise and monitor the
company’s performance.
• Corporate Partnering Program: ATDC helps to identify potential corporate partnerships
between small and larger companies. Smaller companies can learn and benefit from larger
ones, and large companies are often more efficient and successful when they can rely on
small companies to develop new technology products and services. Since its establishment in
1993, this program has matched many startups with medium- sized existing companies to
create successful partnerships.
• Faculty Research Commercialization Program: ATDC provides financial and business
development support to help faculty commercialize new technological innovations in
laboratories. The goal of the program is encourage academic researchers who are developing
a new technology to establish a new company. In 1994, the program spent $ 197,000 and
supported five projects.
Facilitating University- Industry Partnerships
The partnership orientation of Georgia’s science and technology policy is well reflected in the
Georgia Research Alliance. Founded in 1990 by the business community, the Alliance has facilitated a
partnership among research universities, business leaders, and state government. The goals of the