OEDIT to Implement New Grant Cycles for AI Grant Program to Better Serve Industry

Based on recommendations from a recent program participant survey, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced today it will modify the Advanced Industry (AI) Accelerator Grant Program to better serve industry and to relieve some of the burden on the program's reviewers. 

The survey, and focus group comprised of reviewers, applicants, and grantees, identified three major recommendation areas for the program. Recommendation areas include increasing awareness of the AI Grant program, building the AI Accelerator Grant network, and improving the AI grant application process. 

"Although everyone agrees that the grant program is valuable and important to the growth of innovation and industry in Colorado, they also agree there are opportunities to improve the grant application and award process," said OEDIT executive director Fiona Arnold. "Conducting an evaluation of the program allowed us to identify areas of improvement and the recommendations were clear."

Based on the recommendations, OEDIT will reduce the number of grant cycles per year from three to two for Proof of Concept and Early Stage grants, and move to one annual grant cycle for the Infrastructure grant, effective immediately. 

"These changes will improve an already very successful program by giving industry more time to create quality applications and ensure continued success for applicants and the State," said global business development director and OEDIT deputy director Michelle Hadwiger.  "This will also ensure quality reviewers stay engaged by reducing the amount of time they have to commit to this program annually."  

The AI Exports grant cycle will remain unchanged as it has a rolling application process, according to AI grant manager Katie Woslager. 

OEDIT will also implement a new communications strategy based on the focus group's recommendations. Efforts will include creating a program blog and e-newsletter, video trainings, online webinars, branding web elements for grantee websites, and increasing the program's presence on social media.

OEDIT will also continue its educational AI road tour around Colorado visiting the northeastern part of the State in the fall to increase expose of the program in rural areas as recommended by survey participants.  

The AI Accelerator Grant Program includes four types of grants - Proof of Concept, Early-Stage Capital and Retention, Infrastructure Funding, and AI Exports.  The grant program was created in 2013 to promote growth and sustainability in Colorado's seven advanced industries by driving innovation, accelerating commercialization, encouraging public-private partnerships, increasing access to early stage capital and creating a strong infrastructure. 

Since the inception of the program, over $41 million has been awarded to over 227 organizations, helping them to scale and find great success.  To date, the program grants have contributed to the creation of 492 new jobs and approximately 592 jobs retained. 

Colorado's Advanced Industries include aerospace, advanced manufacturing, bioscience, electronics, energy and natural resources, infrastructure engineering, and technology and information. 

The economic impact of these industries accounts for nearly 30 percent of the State's total wage earnings, nearly 30 percent of the total sales revenue across all industries with in the State, and nearly 35 percent of the State's total exports. 

Grant applications and fact sheets are available on the new OEDIT website at choosecolorado.com.

Colorado’s Growing Space Economy

By Edgar Johansson

In 2001 I was fortunate to attend the national space symposium as it used to be called, as the representative of former Governor Bill Owens. At the time, I was the Director for Asia at the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). There had been a steady of Colorado’s space assets that left out key pieces of the message, that Colorado was one of the main epicenters of space, aerospace and defense industries in the nation. However, there were many folks and organizations that were very willing to share these messages and bring to light what Colorado businesses and academics were doing in the realm of space.

As a result of attending the 2001 space symposium, I was asked to represent the governor and a few key members of his staff as the space liaison. I joined the board of the Colorado Space Business Roundtable (CSBR) and began the journey that led me to become the organization’s current president and an active member of Colorado’s incredibly vital space, aerospace and defense community. But the story of Colorado’s space industry started almost 70 years ago at the end of the Second World War as a primary location for space, aerospace and defense due to two significant geographic reasons.

Following the Second World War, the United States government captured over 300 – railroad cars worth of V –2 rocket parts and components. With various scientists and specialist including Dr. Wernher von Braun, the United States decided they wanted to do research in conjunction with universities across the nation to develop sub – orbital rockets. So, in 1947, the Air Force Cambridge Research Center (AFCRC) contacted Dr. William Pietenpol, then Chairman of the physics department at the University of Colorado in Boulder, to participate. From the Chairman’s decision to contribute, the Upper Air Laboratory was born.

After finally receiving funding for the project in 1948, the Upper Air Laboratory was conceived. Within the first 10 years, the University sent up 19 Aerobee rockets from Holloman Air Force Base along with the Air Force and another 8 V-2 rockets from White Sands Proving Grounds with the Navy, and continued efforts to advance rocket research.

The UAL eventually expanded, flying instruments on NASA’s solar – observing rockets. The UAL eventually became the foundation for CU’s current facility – Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), which was and continues to be a driving force in interplanetary exploration and solar research. With the creation of LSAP, students, faculty, and researchers established a nexus to continue attracting inspired minds. With renewed energy, building upon collaboration with NASA, see you drew interest from various entrepreneurial ventures and industry organizations establishing LASP’s collaboration between education and business; firmly establishing Boulder as a top tier research program and facility for Earth atmospheric satellites, space and planetary sciences, as well as expertise in rocketry.

Just shortly after the Second World War finished, the Cold War developed. Colorado’s distinctive geography, again, said it apart from other locations around the United States, but this time its role was very strategic. Around 1957, in response to the development of long – range missiles by the Germans along with submarine – based launch capabilities, an agreement was signed in a plan was established to build a more secure location for our nation’s assets. The Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado Springs was chosen and has become one of the United States most treasured assets to date.

With the development of Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs became a vibrant community with businesses supporting the industry through cutting – edge technologies. The city has become one of the best – known military hubs in our nation’s space program. To this day, Space Command three other military commands call Colorado home. The depth and economic contribution to the community of Colorado Springs and around the state are so great; they may never be truly realized.

So why does the space, aerospace, and defense industry in Colorado means so much to our public servants and those of us who live here? The economic impact alone tells the greatest part of Colorado’s space story. The economic impact of this industry is expressed in innovation, which translates to significant capital investment ranking Colorado the third-largest space economy.

This translates to over 400 companies and suppliers, equating to roughly 162,680 jobs supported by space, 25,110 private-sector jobs, and 27,890 military personnel; resulting in $3.2 billion in annual payroll that is injected back into the Colorado economy. These numbers show that the space industry is vital to Colorado and should inspire are used to explore careers in this amazing industry.

Fifteen years ago Colorado was fourth in the nation for space economies, but with the diligent effort and hard work from the 400+ companies that call Colorado home or operate a significant portion of their business within Colorado’s borders, the state has moved up a notch to achieve the spot of third-largest space economy. Colorado is also lucky to have the help of eight prime space contractors, NASA research activities and incredible research universities. There are many small and medium-size companies contributing to these numbers, some with less than 10 employees. Showing that knowledge is big business, but the hearts and minds of innovative individuals, continue to make this state so exciting and one of the greatest space states to live and work.

Space Foundation Report Reveals Global Space Economy at $323 Billion in 2015

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 22, 2016) - The Space Foundation today released the findings of its publication The Space Report 2016: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity.

In 2015, the global space economy totaled $323 billion worldwide. The decline from $329 billion in 2014 was due primarily to the strengthening dollar, meaning that non-U.S. government budgets and industry revenues appeared smaller even though most experienced growth in their own currencies.

With a total of $246 billion, commercial space activities made up 76 percent of the global space economy. The U.S. government spent $45 billion on defense and non-defense space efforts in 2015, a 3 percent increase from 2014.

Non-U.S. government space investment declined by 14 percent in dollar terms, primarily due to exchange rates, to a total of $32 billion in 2015. In reality, most countries increased their budgets for space activities.

The Space Report Key Findings 
The Space Report 2016 contains worldwide space facts and figures and is illustrated with photographs, charts and graphs detailing the benefits of space exploration and utilization, the challenges facing the space sector, the opportunities for future growth and the major factors that shape the industry. In addition, The Space Report includes an overview of each sector, easy-to-understand definitions and up-to-date information on space infrastructure, facilities, launches and programs.

About the Report
The Space Report is published annually by the Space Foundation, using in-house industry analysts working with a European aerospace consulting firm, Eurospace, to research and analyze government and industry trends in space activity.

About the Website 
The Space Foundation offers an online service that provides subscribers with access to all the research conducted for The Space Report dating back to 2005, as well as new data sets that have never appeared in the report. This website provides users with updates throughout the year, as well as customizable charts and downloadable data for further analysis. To view more information about this service, visit www.TheSpaceReport.org.

The Space Report 2016 is on Sale Now
The Space Report is the definitive body of information about the global space industry. It is a valuable resource for government and business leaders, educators, financial analysts, students and space-related businesses. The report can be purchased as a downloadable PDF for $399. A website subscription can be purchased for $3,500. The subscription includes the ability to download every published edition of The Space Report. Purchases can be made online at www.TheSpaceReport.org.

Licenses for businesses and schools, academic pricing and discounted previous editions of The Space Report are also available via online purchase.

About the Space Foundation
Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is the foremost advocate for all sectors of space, and is a global, nonprofit leader in space awareness activities, educational programs and major industry events, including the annual Space Symposium, in support of its mission "to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity." Space Foundation World Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA, has a public Discovery Center, including El Pomar Space Gallery, Northrop Grumman Science Center featuring Science On a Sphere® and the Lockheed Martin Space Education Center. The Space Foundation has a Washington, D.C., office and field representatives in Houston and the Florida Space Coast. Through its Space CertificationTM and Space Technology Hall of Fame® programs, recognizes space-based innovations that have been adapted to improve life on Earth. Visit www.SpaceFoundation.org, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest,Twitter, Google+, Flickr and YouTube, and read our e-newsletter Space Watch.

 

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