Innovation America Innovation America Accelerating the growth of the GLOBAL entrepreneurial innovation economy
Founded by Rich Bendis

Earlier today Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the rankings for the 2013 Global Innovation Index. Switzerland and Sweden remain #1 and #2 respectively, but the United States jumped 5 places to #5.
According to the report, the United States benefited from a strong education base, with many top-ranked universities. Additionally, over the last year the U.S. has seen significant increases in software spending and employment in knowledge-intensive industries. The U.S. was last in the top 5 of the Global Innovation Index in 2009, when it placed #1.

For all of us concerned about the future of the American economy and the creation of quality jobs in the United States, the President’s State of the Union hit on some important notes.  He continues to beat the drum for critical national issues like immigration reform, quality education and fairer international trade.  And there were important call’s to restore federal research funding and protect innovators and entrepreneurs from patent trolls.   Having served in the Obama Administration, I know that the initiatives launched last night by the President are all trying to create high quality jobs across the United tates and across industries.  But if these efforts are to succeed at the federal level, we need a narrative that connects the dots better between innovation, entrepreneurship, education and job creation.