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August 13, 2020
Dear readers:
The first webinar in our “Shaping the Endless Frontier” series took place Tuesday, August 11, with John C. Austin of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Brookings Institution presenting on Midwest tech assets, opportunities and challenges. We were pleased to be joined by Erik Iverson, CEO of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, and Ruben Anthony, president and CEO of the Urban League of Dane County. Please read my “Inside Wisconsin” column on the topic.
Inside Wisconsin: Statewide tech growth challenges Madison’s tech franchise
Also, I was pleased to take part Thursday in Lunch(Up)Date, which is a regular program of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. Thanks to Chamber President Zach Brandon for inviting me to take part. Please visit the Chamber's website to view the recording or we'll put out on social media, too!
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Make sure to check out our newsroom below for fast-changing information about Wisconsin's reopening process.
Stay tuned for announcements about virtual Tech Council webinars on COVID-19 issues of interest to our members and others.
Do you have news or best practices to contribute to a future edition of Tech Council Current?
Contact Laura@wisconsintechnologycouncil.com
Stay safe, wear your mask, and enjoy your weekend!
Tom Still, president
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Could psychedelic therapy fight depression? Learn more at August 25 Tech Council webinar [w/ graphic]
Treatment for addiction, depression and post-traumatic stress are among the targets of research into psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient found in so-called “magic” mushrooms. Learn how the Madison-based Usona Institute is a part of a worldwide research trend by attending the 10 a.m., August 25 webinar hosted by the Wisconsin Technology Council.
Tech Council Innovation Network and Investor Networks members may register at no charge; the price for non-members is $20 for general admission and $10 for students and returning veterans. Click here to register.
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The Tech Council is part of a statewide group that is tracking the progress of “The Endless Frontier Act,” which is a bipartisan federal bill aimed at dramatically boosting research and development assets in the United States.
Related to the federal proposal is a two-part webinar series on how Midwest assets can help to drive a national recovery.
“Shaping the Endless Frontier: How the Midwest Can Spark the U.S. Economy” is hosted by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the Wisconsin Technology Council, Michael Best Strategies and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Part Two: What will The Endless Frontier Act do? / 11 a.m. Central, Wednesday, Sept. 16
This 60-minute discussion will include congressional co-sponsors and advocates of the Endless Frontier Act who will explain why now is the time, and the Midwest is the place, for bold investments in science, technology and innovation. For the last century, the United States had been the undisputed, global leader in university and industry research. Our panelists will explain how targeted federal investment in emerging growth centers focused on quantum computing, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and manufacturing can extend and expand U.S. leadership into the twenty-first century and beyond.
- Mike Gallagher, Congressman, R-WI 8th District
- Ro Khanna, Congressman, D-CA 17th District
- Mark Mone, Chancellor, UW-Milwaukee
- Melissa Skala, Investigator, Morgridge Institute for Research; Professor of Biomedical Engineering, UW–Madison
- Tom Still (moderator), President, Wisconsin Technology Council
Register here!
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COVID-19
- Milwaukee Business Journal: Dr. Raymond: COVID indicators 'slightly improved' in recent weeks — except one
- Wall Street Journal: Coronavirus hits Midwest rural areas that had been spared
- CNN: There has been a 90% increase in COVID-19 cases in U.S. children in the last four weeks, report says
- Futurism: Russia has approved an untested COVID vaccine for use in Russia
- Wall Street Journal: Moderna inks $1.5 billion vaccine deal with U.S.
- STAT: Antibody drugs could be one of the best weapons against Covid-19. But will they matter?
- Wall Street Journal: A deadly coronavirus was inevitable: Why was no one ready?
- CNN: Previous vaccines and masks may hold down COVID-19, some researchers say
- Guardian: Global cases top 20 million as WHO chief says ‘it’s never too late to turn outbreak around'
- STAT: Why America’s window of opportunity to beat back COVID-19 is closing with winter coming
ECONOMY
- TECNA: 50 Technology Councils across the U.S. urge passage of legislation to expand rural broadband access
- The New Yorker: As rural Wisconsin’s fortunes have declined, its political importance has grown
- CNET: Kamala Harris is Joe Biden’s VP pick – Here’s what she means for tech
- Wisconsin State Journal: Workplaces make up nearly 40% of COVID-19 facility probes in state
- Spectrum News: A pathway out of the pandemic’s economic crush in Wisconsin
- Fox News: Breaking down President Trump's executive action on COVID relief
- Forbes: Second stimulus negotiations appear to be at a standstill, here’s what could happen
- Wall Street Journal: Airlines are withholding billions in refunds
- NPR: New jobless claims dip below 1 million for first time since March
- Axios: Wind and solar power hit record global market shares in first half of 2020
- Wall Street Journal: Fed officials warn pandemic response is hobbling economic rebound
- NBC: Trump wants states to pay a quarter of his new unemployment benefit: States say they can't afford it
- LinkedIn: Lessons for a more inclusive, post-pandemic economic recovery
- The Hustle: Don’t sleep on the Midwest’s business prowess
- NBC: Small farmers left behind in Trump administration's COVID-19 relief package
- Isthmus: New report shows devastating losses in arts and culture sector from COVID-19
- Wall Street Journal: July consumer prices rise amid increased demand for range of goods, services
- CNN: Financial disclosures reveal postmaster general's business entanglements and likely conflicts of interest, experts say
- NYTimes: Big Ten and Pac-12 are first marquee conferences to postpone their football seasons
HEALTH
- WisBusiness: Wisconsin’s critical access hospitals ranked third-best nationally for quality efforts
- Madison.com: FDA grants priority review for Stratatech tissue to treat burns
- WisBusiness: Rural, urban health care systems promote telehealth and the broadband required to effectively use it
- NYTimes: ‘I’d rather stay home and die’ say those who fear hospitals in Mexico
ENTREPRENEURS + INNOVATION
- Forbes: 15 companies that are saving the world from COVID-19
- Inc. 5000 2020: Fetch Rewards is Wisconsin’s fastest-growing private company in America
- Madison Startups: OnLume to begin clinical trial
- NYTimes: Many tech startups survived virus downturn better than expected
- Madison.com: This hydrogen-powered supercar can drive 1,000 miles on a single tank
- SCORE: Tips for properly pivoting your business model
- FreeThink: Human-like “organ chips” could eliminate animal studies
- WiSys: Watch a recap of the recent “Innovation in Dairy” event
- Isthmus Project: New UW-developed, arrhythmia-visualization device may save lives, prevent strokes and save hospitals money
- Wall Street Journal: COVID-19 elevates role of “Chief Medical Officer”
INVESTING
- WisBusiness: LÜM partners with Grammy-winning artist Ne-Yo, secures $3 million in funding round
- Milwaukee Business Journal: Milwaukee's Sift Healthcare raises $2.8 million to expand AI-based payment platform
- Milwaukee Business Journal: Investing, supporting innovation key to recovering Milwaukee’s economy, experts say
- Economist: America’s stock markets are flying high. Its companies still aren’t
- DevEx: How impact investing can help girls shatter the glass ceiling
- VentureBeat: Anti-phishing startups Ironscales raises $8 million
- Madison Startups: Allergy Amulet raises $3.3 million in seed funding led by TitletownTech
EDUCATION
- Business Insider: Wisconsin-based Fiveable reshaping the education space and tackling new and innovative ways to offer online learning
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW System will cut $10 million in two years, create new diversity scholarship
- Madison.com: As school restarts, UW experts say supporting academics, social-emotional health is key
- NBC: A catastrophe is looming for U.S. colleges. This analysis shows just how bad it is.
- WISN: Who will pay for coronavirus testing in schools?
- ABC: Teachers concerned over COVID-19 safety as school reopen, new cases are reported
- Marketing Dive: Retailers’ back-to-school ads resonate by empathizing with uncertainty, study finds
- Urban Milwaukee: Many UW System campuses requiring COVID-19 pledge
- NBC: Teachers share anonymous feelings about going back to school amid coronavirus pandemic
- Madison.com: Verona High School graduate among first members of the U.S. Space Force
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· Gov. Evers’ office regularly updates a statewide COVID-19 website that aggregates information and resources throughout state government, including the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and the departments of Financial Institutions, Revenue and Workforce Development. Some specific sites:
· The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development produced this FAQ document.
· The Wisconsin Department of Revenue offers these information sources:
· The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has guidance for businesses.
· Wisconsin Department of Health Services: COVID-19 Outbreaks in Wisconsin
· NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers are providing services to small- and medium-sized manufacturers such as connecting businesses that are pivoting their production in response to the coronavirus to new supply chains, connecting firms with state resources, advising companies on new operational issues, and providing workforce support.
· “Wisconsin COVID-19 Startup Talent” is a new project to help those displaced from jobs and employers now hiring
· Wisconsin Hospital Association releases a COVID-19 dynamic Situational Awareness Update
· View an interactive map of public wi-fi “hot spots” in Wisconsin
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