Agenda

Industry Cluster Framing

MAPC and RPA Assessments

Nesxt Steps

Build Back Better Concept Evaluation

Meeting Goals

Meeting

Goals

Highlight the applicability of the EDA Good Jobs and Planning & Research Grant for the two other proposals.

Outline how this process will inform the work of the Economic Development team in the coming year.

Deliver our assessment of the most competitive project concept for the BBB grant opportunity.

Increase regional innovation and entrepreneurship capacity in Regional Business Clusters that can convert ideas, research, and prototypes into viable products and services that can be brought to market.

Build Back Better Grant Goal

EDA Framing

A cluster is a regional concentration of related industries in a particular location. 

They include companies, suppliers, and service providers, as well as

government agencies and other institutions that provide specialized training and education, information, research, and technical support.

What are

clusters?

EDA Framing

Traded clusters are groups of related industries that serve markets beyond the region in which they are located.

They are free to choose their location of operation and are highly concentrated in a few regions that afford specific competitive advantages.

Traded vs Local Clusters

EDA Framing

Local clusters consist of industries that serve the local market. They are prevalent in every region of the country, regardless of the competitive advantages of a particular location.

Traded vs Local Clusters

EDA Framing

EDA Funds are designed to support infrastructure (physical and labor) that will foster business development to produce and commercialize innovative technologies, products, and services.

Funds are eligible to support capital and non-capital uses, but are not intended to provide operational subsidies or service delivery.

EDA Application Interpretation

EDA Framing

Concept Evaluation Criteria

Project Concepts

Clean Technology Production Investment and Deployment

Cyber Security Industry and Infrastructure Expansion

Distributed Public Health Research Systems and Workforce Development

Distributed Public Health Research Systems and Workforce Development

The project concept seeks to build a stronger connection between academic institutions, municipal public health, community-based organizations and healthcare providers, and bring that comprehensive health knowledge to a community laboratory.  

This would be accomplished by:

1. Hosting Public Health Labs as regional centers of care and participatory research
2. Workforce Development opportunities to train and hire community members
3. Regionalizing bioscience practices via the collection and analysis of environmental indicators of health (wastewater, air, climate) and health

Eco Dev Team Assessment

• Cluster focus is around public health, academic, and healthcare which are local clusters.
• MAPC's Public Health and Muni Colab Teams are well-positioned to convene stakeholders, specifically in the North Suffolk area.
• The concept is focused more towards the  service delivery of public health activities, and less towards business or technology commercialization

Distributed Public Health Research Systems and Workforce Development

Partner RPA Assessment

• Bolstering Public Health would benefit many needs across the regions.
• Consensus that EDA would likely not fund this project due to it's focus on research and academics over business development.

Distributed Public Health Research Systems and Workforce Development

The concept holds much promise and should be advanced through the EDA Research and Planning Grant Opportunity - Rolling Submissions

The project concept will integrate investment in three key sectors of the clean tech industry cluster in our region – building retrofits, storage for solar energy, and fleet electrification. The high demand for improved and expanded clean energy infrastructure and related workforce and supply chain development can be leveraged to spur innovation and regional partnerships that rise to meet the pressure of an increasingly warming climate.  

This would be accomplished by:

1. Bringing together a currently disparate workforce that populates different sectors within the industry to create a more cohesive model for building retrofits.
2. Developing Resilience Hubs that can support community energy in emergency situations
3. Deployment of public spending to finance and demonstrate a model for scaling up the retrofit of existing buildings and fleets.

Clean Technology Production Investment and Deployment

Eco Dev Team Assessment

• Cluster focus is split between local clusters focusing on service delivery (retrofits, installation, etc) and traded clusters involving production, design, and research.
• MAPC's Clean Energy and Economic Development teams are best positioned to engage with the local cluster stakeholders.
• The concept focuses on the development of a workforce pipeline and public sector incentives to spur demand for service delivery.

Clean Technology Production Investment and Deployment

RPA Assessment

• Strong interest in project concept and alignment with MVP / Green Communities efforts.
• Indication that this concept would be well positioned for collaboration with Workforce Investment Boards, Voc Techs and Community Colleges.
• Catalyzing the industry through investments in building or vehicle retrofits sounds like it would address the market issue, but may not be as competitive for EDA funding.   

Clean Technology Production Investment and Deployment

Due to the strong focus on service delivery and workforce development, this concept would make a strong EDA Good Jobs Challenge application - Jan '22 Submission

The project concept will capitalize on Massachusetts burgeoning Cybersecurity Cluster by investing in infrastructure, workforce training, and business acceleration programs.  To fully prepare the Commonwealth to lead a competitive Cybersecurity cluster, every resident will have to have access to affordable or free high speed internet.

This would be accomplished by:

1. Investing in digital infrastructure, and literacy programs that would enable universal high-speed internet access.
2. Coordinating regional networks of academic and industry-led "Cyber Ranges" that can train workers and commercialize innovative technologies and services.
3. Expand the existing Workforce Development system capacity to service more certficate and associate degree program students,  in addition to providing wrap around services for students.
4. Connecting 

Cyber Security Industry and Infrastructure Expansion

MAPC Internal Assessment

• Cluster focus is centered around Cybersecruity and its connections to manufacturing, telecommunications, and commercialized research.
• MAPC's Economic Development and Digital Access teams are well positioned to leverage relationships with State level, regional, academic, workforce, and private sector stakeholders.
• The concept focuses on the expansion of infrastructure and programs that support and grow businesses and local workforce.
• Connecting Cybersecurity to digital access and smart grid technologies will be critical to a successful application.

Cybersecurity Industry and Infrastructure Expansion

RPA Assessment

• Competitive concept due to statewide efforts with MassCyber, MMA, and others.  Would need to be sure to integrate a regional emphasis - not just focus on Cambridge and Boston.
• Investments in fiber infrastructure across the state should be expanded under this concept to address the digital divide.
• Stressing the equity considerations related to accessible jobs via community colleges and certificate programs should be highlighted.

Cybersecurity Industry and Infrastructure Expansion

Due to the strong focus on industry expansion, state and regional partners, and equity issues, this project concept would make a strong candidate for the EDA Build Back Better Grant - October 19 Submission