Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 4, 2001
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
"We can take great pride in Washington's accomplishments," Locke said. "The Innovation Economy is creating tremendous opportunities for our citizens. Technology anchors our largest, fastest-growing and highest-paying industries. Technology is an engine of growth for the entire state economy. And technology is making every kind of business more competitive, from Weyerhaeuser to Starbucks to the family farm."
Locke told the group that Washington has become a leading center of innovation through a combination of smart choices and hard work. He cited many of the key ingredients for sustained growth - first-rate research institutions, a skilled and educated workforce, an entrepreneurial culture, a growing venture capital community and leadership in digital government.
The governor noted that The Progressive Policy Institute ranks Washington fourth in the nation as a "New Economy" state, and Seattle third in the nation as a "New Economy" metropolitan area.
"Yet despite our many assets, despite our impressive track record, we cannot take our technology-based prosperity for granted," Locke said, adding that many other states are taking aggressive steps to create, attract and sustain their own technology-based businesses.
"We must act now to solidify Washington's role as an internationally competitive leader in technology, for both the short and long terms," Locke said. "That's why I ask you, as the state's technology leaders, to join with me in making the strategic choices necessary to make Washington the 'Innovation State.'"
Locke unveiled a strategy developed in consultation with many organizations in Washington's technology community, including three strategic objectives:
1. To expand all citizens' opportunities to participate in the Innovation Economy, wherever they live, whatever their background
2. To encourage the appropriate application of technology throughout all sectors of the state's economy, whenever it can improve productivity and competitive advantage
3. To foster the development, growth and retention of the state's current technology clusters and the emergence of new technology clusters
The governor proposed creating opportunity through technology by implementing the following action agenda.
1. We must educate our children for the Innovation Economy so that every child has access to advanced courses in English, math and science, is fluent in information technology and is prepared for lifelong learning.
2. We must expand telecommunications infrastructure so that every business and every individual has high-speed, broadband access.
3. We must encourage technology transfer, entrepreneurship and new business creation so that great ideas routinely become great businesses.
4. We must move our award-winning Digital Government to the next level to meet the ever-growing expectations of business and the public for responsive, effective, real-time government.
5. We must forge strategic partnerships among the business, government, education and nonprofit sectors to leverage the resources and foster the trust that will be necessary to take these actions.
6. We must communicate with key state and national audiences so that all of our citizens see their personal stake in a thriving Innovation Economy and Washington is where every innovator in the country wants to be.
"Together, we can make Washington the state that technology-driven, fast-growing, high-paying businesses call home, the state where innovation is a way of life and technology is the tool that powers our prosperity," Locke said. "Please join me in this exciting venture."
Related Links:
- Washington's Strategy for the Innovation Economy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 4, 2001
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Locke urges technology leaders to help make Washington the 'Innovation State'
SEATTLE - Gov. Gary Locke today joined hundreds of the state's technology leaders at the Technology Alliance annual luncheon and urged them to work together to solidify Washington's role as an internationally competitive technology leader."We can take great pride in Washington's accomplishments," Locke said. "The Innovation Economy is creating tremendous opportunities for our citizens. Technology anchors our largest, fastest-growing and highest-paying industries. Technology is an engine of growth for the entire state economy. And technology is making every kind of business more competitive, from Weyerhaeuser to Starbucks to the family farm."
Locke told the group that Washington has become a leading center of innovation through a combination of smart choices and hard work. He cited many of the key ingredients for sustained growth - first-rate research institutions, a skilled and educated workforce, an entrepreneurial culture, a growing venture capital community and leadership in digital government.
The governor noted that The Progressive Policy Institute ranks Washington fourth in the nation as a "New Economy" state, and Seattle third in the nation as a "New Economy" metropolitan area.
"Yet despite our many assets, despite our impressive track record, we cannot take our technology-based prosperity for granted," Locke said, adding that many other states are taking aggressive steps to create, attract and sustain their own technology-based businesses.
"We must act now to solidify Washington's role as an internationally competitive leader in technology, for both the short and long terms," Locke said. "That's why I ask you, as the state's technology leaders, to join with me in making the strategic choices necessary to make Washington the 'Innovation State.'"
Locke unveiled a strategy developed in consultation with many organizations in Washington's technology community, including three strategic objectives:
1. To expand all citizens' opportunities to participate in the Innovation Economy, wherever they live, whatever their background
2. To encourage the appropriate application of technology throughout all sectors of the state's economy, whenever it can improve productivity and competitive advantage
3. To foster the development, growth and retention of the state's current technology clusters and the emergence of new technology clusters
The governor proposed creating opportunity through technology by implementing the following action agenda.
1. We must educate our children for the Innovation Economy so that every child has access to advanced courses in English, math and science, is fluent in information technology and is prepared for lifelong learning.
2. We must expand telecommunications infrastructure so that every business and every individual has high-speed, broadband access.
3. We must encourage technology transfer, entrepreneurship and new business creation so that great ideas routinely become great businesses.
4. We must move our award-winning Digital Government to the next level to meet the ever-growing expectations of business and the public for responsive, effective, real-time government.
5. We must forge strategic partnerships among the business, government, education and nonprofit sectors to leverage the resources and foster the trust that will be necessary to take these actions.
6. We must communicate with key state and national audiences so that all of our citizens see their personal stake in a thriving Innovation Economy and Washington is where every innovator in the country wants to be.
"Together, we can make Washington the state that technology-driven, fast-growing, high-paying businesses call home, the state where innovation is a way of life and technology is the tool that powers our prosperity," Locke said. "Please join me in this exciting venture."
Related Links:
- Washington's Strategy for the Innovation Economy
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