vermont connected keynote address by julie lenzer kirk

1

The Quest for Sustainable Regional Prosperity

United States Department of Commerce

Julie Lenzer Kirk

Director, Office of Innovation and

Entrepreneurship

• Increase U.S. global economic

competitiveness

• Help communities become:

• Resilient

• Agile

• Economically stable

Improved quality of life

START WITH THE END IN MIND

Why do we do what we do?

• Regional approach address unique needs

• Invest in the ecosystem builders

• Focus on capacity building

• Preference for public / private partnerships

• Looking for catalytic investments

HOW DO WE DO IT?.

Creating the conditions for economic growth.

• Regional and national grant programs

• Public works authorization focused on

distressed communities

• America COMPETES funding removes

distressed requirement

• Leverage data into information

• Identify and share best practices

• Programs across the continuum

dependent on community stage

WHAT DO WE DO?.

Investments, Tools, and Connections

HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Basic Infrastructure

TransportationUtilities

HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Technology Infrastructure

Basic Infrastructure

BroadbandCellularWireless

TransportationUtilities

HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Business Support

Technology Infrastructure

Basic Infrastructure

IncubatorsAccelerators

PoliciesCapital

BroadbandCellularWireless

TransportationUtilities

HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Engines of Innovation

Business Support

Technology Infrastructure

Basic Infrastructure

Universities / R&DCommercialization

CapitalPoliciesIncubators

AcceleratorsPoliciesCapital

BroadbandCellularWireless

TransportationUtilities

HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Connected Ecosystem

Engines of Innovation

Business Support

Technology Infrastructure

Basic Infrastructure

Universities / R&DCommercialization

CapitalPoliciesIncubators

AcceleratorsPoliciesCapital

BroadbandCellularWireless

TransportationUtilities

HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Connected Ecosystem

Engines of Innovation

Business Support

Technology Infrastructure

Basic Infrastructure

CULTURE

Universities / R&DCommercialization

CapitalPoliciesIncubators

AcceleratorsPoliciesCapital

BroadbandCellularWireless

TransportationUtilities

Realized potential.

Sustainable, global competitiveness

Improved quality of life.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Julie Lenzer Kirkjkirk@eda.gov

Director, Office of Innovation and

Entrepreneurship

U.S. Department of Commerce

Economic Development Administration

THANK YOU!