SBA Announces Support for 10 Regional ‘Innovative Economies’ Clusters, Local Job Creation (SBA press release, Sep. 20, 2010)

Innovative Economies Pilot Initiative press call (Sep. 20, 2010): audio | transcript

Healthy regional economies are where new ideas, businesses and jobs are created.   Many regions across the country have leveraged their unique strengths and assets to specialize in a particular industry area.  They’ve learned that collaboration and planning between key stakeholders – such as research organizations, businesses, and workforce, education and economic development groups – can lead to better growth outcomes for everyone.

These types of specialized collaborations are called regional clusters. Each cluster is different, based on its region’s own unique strengths, assets, and stakeholders. Typically, regional clusters can be described as  geographic concentrations of firms and industries that do business with each other and have common needs for talent, technology, and infrastructure.  The strengths and relationships within these networks create a multiplier effect that increases efficiency, innovation, and ultimately produces conditions for high-growth, high-impact small businesses to prosper. 

SBA Cluster Initiatives

At SBA, we see helping cluster development and growth as key to our mission of supporting small businesses.  Agencies across the federal government are working together to strengthen and develop clusters across the country. 

SBA’s Regional Clusters Initiative focuses on accelerating small business opportunities in existing regional clusters across the country.  SBA is supporting technical assistance, business training, counseling, mentoring and other services that will support job growth and competitiveness of small businesses.  SBA’s Regional Clusters Initiative harnesses the potential of regional clusters to drive economic growth and strengthen American competitiveness. 

Regional Innovation Clusters (RIC) and Advanced Defense Technology (ADT) Clusters:  Clusters across the country have different focus areas and different structures. SBA’s RIC program seeks clusters that are not specific to a particular industry, sector, or geographic area, but that can utilize SBA resources to achieve maximum impact. At the same time, recognizing the needs for technology and innovation in specific areas, SBA is working closely with the Department of Defense on an Advanced Defense Technologies (ADT) program, which is specifically targeted towards clusters focusing in areas of interest to DOD, such as robotics, energy, lightweight materials and cyber-security.

Energy Regional Innovation Cluster: As a key Partner in the Energy Regional Innovation Cluster (E-RIC), SBA has teamed up with the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) and National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), Department of Education (ED), Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Labor (DOL) to support a regional cluster focused on green building technologies. The E-RIC is the first pilot project of a multi-agency collaboration that is using the regional cluster model to link, leverage and align regional assets across the country to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.

More Information:

Regional Clusters Initiative
Resources
Federal Clusters Programs
FAQs

• SBA Announces Support for 10 Regional ‘Innovative Economies’ Clusters, Local Job Creation (SBA press release, Sep. 20, 2010)

• SBA Gets Into the Clusters Business (Sarah Rahman, The New Republic, July 14, 2010)
• Regional Innovation Clusters (RIC) RFP
• Advanced Defense Technologies (ADT) RFP
  

For questions, please e-mail clusters@sba.gov.