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| Oregon Innovation Council | |
|---|---|
| Name | Oregon Innovation Council |
| Formation | 2011 |
| Type | Advisory body |
| Headquarters | Salem, Oregon |
| Region served | Oregon |
| Leader title | Chair |
| Parent organization | Oregon Business Development Department |
Oregon Innovation Council The Oregon Innovation Council is a state-level advisory panel formed to coordinate innovation strategy across Oregon’s public agencies, academic institutions, and private sector stakeholders. It connects policy leaders from the Oregon Business Development Department, executives from technology firms such as Intel Corporation and Nike, Inc., and research administrators from universities including Oregon State University and University of Oregon. The council seeks to align regional initiatives with federal programs administered by entities like the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The council was established following policy discussions in the late 2000s about competitiveness in the Pacific Northwest, inspired by reports from think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Early convenings involved leaders from the Portland Development Commission and the Oregon Health & Science University as state officials sought models from commissions like the California Innovation Hub and initiatives in Washington (state). Legislative activity in the Oregon Legislative Assembly formalized the council’s advisory role, drawing on precedents from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and the New York State Innovation Development Corporation. Over successive administrations, members from the offices of governors such as John Kitzhaber and Kate Brown participated in setting priorities tied to workforce strategies promoted by Jobs for the Future and economic analyses by the Economic Development Administration.
The council’s mission centers on fostering clusters of advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and biomedical research by coordinating among agencies like the Oregon Department of Energy, academic partners including Portland State University, and private research labs such as PARC (company). Responsibilities include advising the Oregon Business Development Department on strategic investments, recommending policy changes to the Oregon Governor’s office, and supporting grant applications to federal funders like the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense. It also liaises with regional entities such as the Port of Portland and philanthropic organizations like the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to align capital, talent, and infrastructure objectives.
The council is chaired by a senior entrepreneur or academic appointed by the Oregon Governor and includes representatives from state agencies, higher education institutions, and private-sector leaders. Seats have been filled by executives from firms like Tektronix and academic administrators from Oregon State University’s OSU Research Office and University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business. Committees focus on workforce development, technology transfer, and cluster formation, coordinating with entities such as the Metro (Oregon regional government), municipal leaders from Portland, Oregon and Eugene, Oregon, and regional economic development organizations like Business Oregon. The council’s staff works closely with the Oregon Innovation Council’s legal advisers, procurement offices, and the State Treasurer of Oregon on implementation and compliance.
Initiatives have included accelerator and commercialization programs modeled on the Small Business Innovation Research Program and partnerships with incubators such as Oregon Technology Business Center and Portland Incubator Experiment. The council has promoted sector strategies in cooperation with the Oregon Bioscience Association, the Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and energy projects aligned with the Bonneville Power Administration. Pilot projects encompassed broadband expansion collaborations with CenturyLink and Comcast Corporation, workforce training aligned with WorkSource Oregon, and research-industry consortia involving Intel Corporation and HP Inc.. Cross-institutional efforts have linked technology transfer offices at Oregon State University with venture networks like Oregon Angel Fund and national programs administered by the Economic Development Administration.
Funding streams blend state appropriations, federal grants, and private contributions. The council has coordinated applications to federal sources such as the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the National Science Foundation’s regional innovation initiatives, while matching funds have come from the Oregon Department of Administrative Services and philanthropic partners including the Ford Foundation and local foundations. Budget allocations are subject to oversight by the Oregon State Legislature and audited under standards used by the State Auditor of Oregon. Financial partnerships with corporations like Nike, Inc. and technology investors in Silicon Forest supplement project-specific budgets for commercialization and workforce development.
Evaluations draw on metrics used by organizations such as the Kauffman Foundation and the Brookings Institution: job creation, private investment attracted, patents filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and research commercialization tracked through university technology transfer offices. The council’s reports cite measurable outcomes from collaborations with Oregon Health & Science University and Oregon State University that increased spin-out formation and external grant capture. Independent reviews by regional economic research centers and oversight from the Oregon Legislative Assembly assess return on investment and policy alignment with regional development plans like those overseen by Metro (Oregon regional government). Challenges noted in evaluations include sustaining early-stage capital, coordinating across institutions such as community colleges in the Oregon Community College Association, and aligning workforce pipelines with private-sector demand from firms in the Silicon Forest and the Port of Portland logistics sector.
Category:Organizations based in Oregon