Senate Resolution No. 633
BY: Senator SKELOS
ESTABLISHING a Select Committee on Science,
Technology, Incubation and Entrepreneurship
WHEREAS, It is widely recognized that the path to prosperity and the
economic recovery of New York State lies in job creation and in
broadening economic choices and career opportunities for all citizens,
and that achieving these goals can be accelerated by the enhancement of
the state's innovation and entrepreneurial spirit via the growth and
development of business incubator programs and other entrepreneurial and
economic and business development programs; and
WHEREAS, The concept of business incubation and business development
programs originated in New York in 1959 when Joseph Mancuso opened the
Batavia Industrial Center in a Batavia factory building, a successful
concept that has since spread from New York throughout the country and
the world, to the extent that there are now an estimated 1,400
incubators in North America, and 7,000 in the world; and
WHEREAS, Building upon this high-level profile and demonstration of
expertise, an incubator from Syracuse, New York, was named 2012
Incubator of the Year by the 1,900 international members of the National
Business Incubator Association; and
WHEREAS, The goals and purposes of the State's approximately forty
business incubation programs remain what they were from that start in
Batavia - to develop successful and financially stable firms capable of
economic expansion and job creation by providing a comprehensive array
of entrepreneurial and business supports, resources, and services
tailored to the needs of individual business entities being incubated in
an environment of entrepreneurial innovation and thereby to stimulate
the entrepreneurial energies of the communities in which they are
located, and demonstrate them to be attractive places to start and
invest in new businesses; and
WHEREAS, Research has shown that successful business incubation
programs can often rise above current conditions of a regional economy,
but such success can be stymied by various endemic barriers that stifle
the ability of an incubator to fulfill its mission and achieve maximum
job creation and economic impact; and
WHEREAS, The path to develop a small business and innovation economy
in New York is aided by many means and strategies including
strengthening of current incubator operations and development of new
ones, expanding incentives and developing a full array of integrated
entrepreneurship programs including enhancing scientific and technology
innovation via incubators and other free-standing entrepreneurial
development programs; and
WHEREAS, The Senate also seeks to expand access and opportunity to
entrepreneurial programs for all groups including many marginalized by
current programs such as veterans, disabled individuals, individuals who
are minorities and women, using collaborations with several state
agencies and non-state sponsors; and
WHEREAS, The Senate looks to increase collaboration by and with the
State's academic institutions, private foundations, and municipalities,
provide greater access to capital markets, and fully utilize the
expertise of state and national incubator organizations including the
Business Incubator Association of New York (BIANYS), and the National
Business Incubator Association (NBIA); and
WHEREAS, The Senate urges the development and dissemination of "best
practices" regimes for use by incubators and other entrepreneurship
programs and their member companies, and other entrepreneurial and
economic development programs; and
WHEREAS, It is recognized that an open forum is needed to properly
ascertain the current and future needs of our state's incubation and
entrepreneurship programs and help these programs develop to their
maximum potential; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That a Select Committee on Science, Technology, Incubation
and Entrepreneurship is hereby established, to conduct meetings,
conferences, examinations, and public hearings, to gather information
and make legislative proposals, reports, and recommendations, and to
provide outreach to and interaction with private and public
organizations that provide incubation, innovation, and entrepreneurship
programs, and to make recommendations on efforts to strengthen
entrepreneurial and job creation including related legislative proposals
and resolutions before the State Legislature in such areas; all with the
aim of growing the spirit of enterprise and innovation in New York; and
be it further
RESOLVED, The Select Committee shall consist of eleven Senators, to
be appointed by the Majority Coalition leaders, pursuant to membership
composition as set forth under Senate Rule VIII; and be it further
RESOLVED, The chairperson of such committee shall be appointed by
the Majority Coalition leaders; and be it further
RESOLVED, That such committee shall have the same authority as
committees constituted under Article 4 of the Legislative Law and Senate
Rule VIII.
