Colorado Advanced Technology Institute Archives - Colorado-based Business and Economic Research

Bottom Up Planning Process Nears Implementation Phase

March 28, 2011May 31, 2014 horvath Leave a comment

The 14th, and final, stop on Governor Hickenlooper’s Bottom Up Eco Devo Planning tour landed at the Arvada Center earlier today. About 200 citizens and business leaders from the metro counties convened to provide input. The bottom up information gathering process is scheduled to be wrapped up at the end of April.

Attendees were grouped by their county of residence and asked to discuss a common set of questions and issues. The following paragraphs provide some of the topics discussed by fellow Broomfielders.

Topic: What can government do better to support business?
• Make it easier for businesses to find out about local assistance.
• Become more aware of how to support the unique needs of specific industries and clusters such as photonics, aerospace, nanotechnology, and the biosciences. To this point, a brief discussion focused on how elected officials can become more “military-friendly”, which includes support of the defense, homeland security, aerospace industries and their supply chain.
• Continue to further strengthen relationships between education, government, economic developers, workforce training, and the private sector.
• Improvement of the 36 corridor, including completion of FasTracks.
• Establish a visionary group that provides a long-term economic vision for Colorado – that covers all aspects of economic development from research to recruitment to retention. During the 1980s and 1990s, the Colorado Advanced Technology Institute (CATI), helped develop many of the clusters and industries that are critical to the state’s present economy.

Topic: What are areas that are important to the success of Broomfield?
• Maintain a designated level of primary jobs (jobs that create other jobs).
• Support innovation.
• Strength of neighboring communities (higher education, research facilities, distribution services) and realization that it is not necessary to duplicate their competencies.

Topic: What are Broomfield success stories?
• The foresight of city and county leaders that provided Broomfield with a diverse tax base derived from a strong mix of retail and industry.
• Development of the 1st Bank Center.
• 36 Commuting Solutions has developed partnerships between local municipalities to secure funds for improvements of the 36 corridor.

Colorado is blessed with an intelligent and creative populaton who have an abundance of enthusiasm and good ideas. It will be easy to organize and prioritize their thoughts and opinions. The challenge will come in finding funds to implement the plan.

A more complete summary of this event and previous meetings will be available on the Bottom Up website.

Colorado’s Bottom-Up Economic Development Strategy

February 11, 2011May 31, 2014 horvath Leave a comment

The first week in February Governor Hickenlooper (call me “John”) hosted the ninth stop in his Bottom-Up Economic Development tour across Colorado. For about two hours, the region’s top economic developers discussed job creation, economic development, and steps for increasing government efficiencies.

The most frequently discussed topic was transportation and the top priority was to complete FasTracks in a timely and cost effective manner. In addition leaders made a case for completion of the final leg of the beltway (between Broomfield and Golden) around the city, expansion of commercial air, maintenance of our bridges and highways, and reduction of congestion along I-70 into ski country.

Panelists felt that innovation and the attraction/retention of primary jobs was critical if we are to maintain our regional and national competitiveness. They also cited the need to have a well-trained workforce and an efficient, accountable, and adequately funded education system. As well, it is imperative that Coloradans work together to maintain the quality of life that makes the state so attractive. This will require leaders to address issues related to our water supplies, develop parks and recreation areas, invest in infrastructure, and utilize the state’s unique assets to attract commerce.

The metro area’s economic diversity was evident as leaders spoke in support of industries and clusters endemic to their region. For example, they addressed the need for the state to be more “military-friendly”, consider construction of nuclear power plants, understand the importance of refineries, realize the value of our construction and extractive industries, and support gaming and tourism.

As the Bottom-Up discussions continue, it would be beneficial to reflect on past economic-development successes. For example, consider the public-private partnership, the former Colorado Advanced Technology Institute (CATI). During the late 1980s, CATI was established to guide the development of science and technology and the growth of select high-tech clusters. Specifically, the group’s work laid the groundwork for the state’s photonics, materials, hardware, software, telecommunications, and bioscience clusters. While it may not be appropriate to resurrect CATI as it existed, there is merit in having the an organization that would fill many of CATI’s roles in fostering long-term growth.

Four years ago, a state job cabinet was formed, town meetings were held across the state to gather input, and plans were put in place. While that effort was well intended, it did not have the desired impact. Hopefully this Bottom-Up Planning approach with be more successful.

A well-thought out economic development plan couldn’t come at a better time. Colorado employment remains below the 2001 peak and it will be years before state payrolls return to the pre-Great Recession high mark.

REO – Bright Light in the Down Economy

November 23, 2010May 31, 2014 horvath Leave a comment

Although Colorado’s high tech cluster has been hit hard during the “lost decade” there are some bright spots. On November 17 the Colorado Photonics Industry Association (CPIA) recognized Research Electro-Optics, Inc. (REO) as one of those bright spots when it named it the 2010 Colorado Photonics Company of the Year.

REO is a precision optics and thin film coating company founded in Colorado in 1980. It services small to medium to high volume OEMs including manufacturers of defense and aerospace systems, laser systems, semiconductor tools, medical systems, life sciences instrumentation and telecommunications equipment.

In recent years REO has expanded its staff and increased its new manufacturing and technology assets. REO officials indicated that they have been profitable for all of the past six years, with double-digit growth in several of those years. The company is privately held, with 2010 annual sales projected to be in the neighborhood of $40 million.

The Colorado photonics cluster received a boost during the mid-1980s, around the time REO was started. At that time, the Colorado Advanced Technology Institute (CATI) provided a small matching grant for at National Science Foundation Center of Excellence at CU and CSU. That grant ultimately led research that was commercialized to form 20 companies.

As an enabling technology, photonics touches many industries, such as aerospace, renewable energy, homeland security, biomedical devices, telecommunications, and defense. This allows companies, such as REO to diversify their product line and clients, thus insulating them from turbulent economic times.

Congratulations to REO!