Changes

<span id="docs-internal-guid-8cf07fbb-7fff-cf03-4b3c-b68509249844"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In April 2010, more than 140 leaders from higher education endorsed and submitted a letter to then -Commerce Secretary Gary Locke through his National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE). These leaders, including Georgia Tech’s former president, G.P. “Bud” Peterson, committed to work more closely with industry, private foundations, investors, and local, state, and federal governments to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and the commercialization of research results. Underlying their commitment was a willingness to employ strategies, enhance existing activities, and expand efforts in several areas, including:</span></span>

*<span id="docs-internal-guid-62f47f5c-7fff-f75d-ed85-04356fb47353"><span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship</span></span>*<span id="docs-internal-guid-62f47f5c-7fff-f75d-ed85-04356fb47353"><span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship</span></span>*<span id="docs-internal-guid-62f47f5c-7fff-f75d-ed85-04356fb47353"><span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Actively supporting the university technology transfer function</span></span>*<span id="docs-internal-guid-62f47f5c-7fff-f75d-ed85-04356fb47353"><span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facilitating university – industry indust<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>ry collaboration</span></span>*<span style="font-size:larger;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span>Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts</span></span>

<br/><span id="docs-internal-guid-4fc08032-7fff-5ab6-44aa-ee37c44163d6"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Department of Commerce’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE) recently followed up with the signatories to better understand their efforts to embody and implement the ideas contained within the letter, as well as to improve their ability to develop policies and programs that support innovation, entrepreneurship, and the commercialization of research results. OIE is conducting phone calls with every respondent to discuss their strategies and develop a general outline of each of their initiatives.&nbsp;</span></span>

<span id="docs-internal-guid-2b2eccf3-7fff-a904-69a0-4d6548c353dc"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For a select few institutions, including some who did not sign the NACIE letter, OIE has conducted a more thorough exploration of their strategies and initiatives. The goals of these “deep dives” are to discuss the historical and cultural context for the relevant work being done at leading institutions, highlight innovative practices, and uncover future trends. Through this exploration, OIE will be better equipped to advise on policies and develop future programs.</span></span>