Americas

US state South Carolina takes baby steps towards a stronger economy. That was the message of a speech given by Wall Street financier Darla Moore during the University of South Carolina's annual Economic Outlook Conference. More than 200 people attended this conference.

Portland is more and more becoming a centre for Linux, the computer software that according to several experts will be neighbour town´s Microsoft's biggest competitor in the future.

Mechatronics sounds like a new video game but may be a major economic driver for Virginia (U.S.) in the future. Mechatronics is the synergy of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering , and software engineering. Mechatronics companies are involved in the production of planetary-rovers (like the one used for the exploration of Mars), automotive subsystems such as anti-block system and every day equipment such as autofocus cameras and washing machines.

A new technology cluster in Patagonia was presented last Friday, Sept. 17 by governor Miguel Saiz of the Rio Negro province in Argentina. The COPAT cluster (Complejo Patagónico de Alta Tecnología) main goals are to: incubate innovative hi-tech companies, promote technology projects, promote investigation and education.

Companies of the Connecticut software clusters are about to receive mentoring of corporate CEOs on how to further grow. The Fast Track Program, an initiative of the state development agency, matches big companies CEOs with small software companies for a couple of hours per week.

The governor of Florida, Jeb Bush announced the plan for an expansion of the Scripps Research Institute to Palm Beach County during the BIO 2004 convention in San Francisco. Bush's big goal is to persuade biotech firms to take advantage of proximity to Scripps by locating on or near its planned campus.

A new web-based compendium developed by Regional Technology Strategies, Inc. demonstrates the strong ties that exist between community and technical colleges and specific industry clusters.

During an address to the Empire Club and the Canadian Club in Toronto Canada´s Prime Minister Paul Martin emphasized the importance of economic clusters for the development of Canada.

The San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative (SATAI) announced that it has created a new digital media arts technology cluster.

The Texas Energy Center (TEC www.txec.org)- a cluster working towards national and international leadership in energy-related innovation and commerce - has just recieved a $3.6 million grant from the Texas Enterprise Fund.