Institute for Innovation 2012-2013 annual report - message from the director

Message from the Director Dr. Eric Tao

For annual report 2012-2013

Innovation is the lifeblood of a region’s economic growth.  Throughout the United States, from the White House to the campus of California State University Monterey Bay, innovation, together with entrepreneurship, is touted as the utmost important strategy in business and education.

Leverage with local talents and U.S. government supports, the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development at Cal State University Monterey Bay has been providing programs and activities to support innovative research, foster cutting edge business projects, and support students and entrepreneurs alike in their creative quest for business opportunities. iiED also looks within the university and local research institutions to cultivate projects that assist students, investors, and entrepreneurs in successful internships, resources, and project development to develop new businesses jobs in the region.

With the support of many generous individuals, companies and the university over the last year, iiED has offered several entrepreneurship and technology workshops and competitions, a speaker series on entrepreneurship, salon conversations of innovative ideas, and provided technical assistance to new business ideas.  

We collaborate closely with the Monterey Bay Business Council, CSUMB’s Small Business Development Center and the College of Business, the Central Coast Small Business Development Center, Business Entrepreneurship Center, Youth Entrepreneurship Program, Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Steinbeck Innovation Foundation. Many local business professionals, community leaders, and CSUMB faculty and administration also provided invaluable support to us. These programs helped foster new local businesses and trained students from CSUMB, Hartnell College, Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey Peninsula College, University California at Santa Cruz, and Cabrillo College

With Ms. MaryJo Zenk leading the operations and faculty associate Dr. Brad Barbeau designing the entrepreneurship activities, iiED plans to enhance these activities and add additional programs such as investor-entrepreneur-innovator meetups, a youth technology camp, student start-ups, innovation awards and new entrepreneur training in the coming year.

I am very proud of what we have accomplished during 2012-2013 year, and excited to see where we will go in the future. Your support and participation is most important part of the iiED’s success.  I hope to see you soon at the Institute and at many of the iiED events.  

Eric Tao, Ph.D

Director of Institute for Innovation and Economic Development