Highlighting policies and initiatives to advance innovation and drive economic growth

The 2009 Franchise 500

Entrepreneur magazine’s 2009 Franchise 500 has just been released. Subway takes the top spot in 2009, topping 2008’s top franchise: 7-Eleven. Subway, which operates more than 30,000 restaurants in 87 countries, has long dominated the Franchise 500 list. It has held the top spot for eigh... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 12/31/2008 07:46 AM | Comments (36)
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The Globalization of R&D

The latest edition of Booz Allen Hamilton’s Global Innovation 1000 was released earlier this month. The list ranks and assesses the world’s 1000 biggest corporate research and development (R&D) investors. The globalization of R&D is the big trend found among this year’s to... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 12/29/2008 10:00 AM | Comments (25)
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VC Predictions for 2009

The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) has released its annual predictions for the venture capital industry in 2009, and the findings should not come as a big surprise. Venture capitalists (VCs) expect 2009 to be a difficult year. A large majority predicts a slowdown in investments across ... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 12/26/2008 15:42 PM | Comments (36)
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Emerging Economy Entrepreneur Predictions

Endeavor, a leading non-profit that support high-impact entrepreneurs in emerging economies, has recently asked its partner companies for their views on where the global economy is heading. Like angels, venture capitalists and many others, they are feeling fairly pessimistic. The surveyed entreprene... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 12/26/2008 11:39 AM | Comments (31)
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UK Innovation Index

Great Britain’s Department of Innovation, Universities, and Skills has taken a close look at Britain’s innovation performance in its newly released Annual Innovation Report 2008. This first annual report follows up on the British government’s Innovation Nation White Paper published... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 12/26/2008 09:31 AM | Comments (22)
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Challenges and Opportunities for Angels

While full data for 2008 investments are not yet in, the picture from the Angel Group Confidence Report is that total angel group investments in North America are estimated to decrease by at least ten percent from 2007. Angel groups appear to be focusing more on a few potential winners. The top reas... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 12/19/2008 16:30 PM | Comments (21)
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Virtual Worlds and Business Ecosystems

The development of virtual world technology, in programs like Second Life and Habbo Hotel, has reached a point where these tools and concepts are beginning to change the way that businesses operate. A new Athena Alliance study contends that virtual worlds can become a critical platform for open inno... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 12/17/2008 17:40 PM | Comments (13)
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US IT Spending: Down, Not Out

Given the seemingly unceasing tide of bad economic news, Forrester’s recent projections for the information technology (IT) market have to count as good tidings. Forrester is projecting business and government IT spending to grow by 1.9 percent in 2009. This is a big drop from 2008’s gro... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 12/17/2008 13:37 PM | Comments (0)
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Small Business and the Credit Crunch

A new poll from the National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation takes a look at how small businesses are responding to the current credit crisis. Not surprisingly, surveyed business owners are glum, with thirty-four percent agreeing that their business has been “significant... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 12/16/2008 15:23 PM | Comments (31)
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Attacking the Recession with Innovation

Britain’s National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Arts (NESTA) continue to produce excellent studies that provide a 360° wide-angle view on the role of innovation in modern society. Their latest report, plus an accompanying blog, tackles the tough issue of how innovation can he... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 12/15/2008 15:20 PM | Comments (32)
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