FEBRUARY 2011

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Pittsburgh's Still a Winning Region

Despite yesterday's loss on the gridiron, Pittsburgh is still a winning region – named "America's Most Livable Place" three years in a row by The Places Rated Almanac, The Economist and Forbes.com. And now, Pittsburgh – a globally recognized hub for innovation and technology – will supply Green Bay with some of our cutting-edge technology in a bet for products showcasing the region's manufacturing and innovation expertise.

The Green Bay area and the Pittsburgh region represent two of America's great manufacturing centers and made the most of their latest run at NFL glory by putting homemade products, full of 21st-century innovation, on the line. Both regions view this wager as a way to benefit the less fortunate. Although we lost to Green Bay, several of the Pittsburgh region's most innovative companies win. Included in the wager, were Kids' Interactive Creation Kiosk (K.I.C.K) from Electric Owl Studios, Toy Story Mania from Schell Games, MamaRoo from Thorley Industries and an innovative math curriculum from Carnegie Learning, Inc. Had Pittsburgh taken home the Championship title, Green Bay would've supplied its state-of-the-art alignment devices and components from American Prosthetics Components, Inc.

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	FIND YOUR NEW SITE FAST! PittsburghProspector allows you to search an expansive up-to-date inventory of available commercial buildings and sites in the Pittsburgh region. With the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) software, PittsburghProspector is the comprehensive, online real estate database for the 10-county Pittsburgh region. Find a site in minutes by generating site-specific demographic and business analysis reports with this complimentary service. To discover the PRA's full range of economic development services, visit www.pittsburgh-region.org.

More Economic Development News

Atlas Energy Launches $3M Expansion to Accommodate Growing Staff at Fayette Facility
"[Atlas Energy] has broadened 10-fold in the past several years and is continuing its growth with a $3 million expansion. The [30,000 SF] additional office space will accommodate many of the new employees that Atlas has hired over the past several years. In 2010, Atlas hired almost 70 new employees in Fayette County alone." Read more

66 Jobs: Direct Energy Expanding in Pittsburgh
"Direct Energy's Pittsburgh headquarters is expanding with the addition of 9,000 SF of office space in the Federated Building downtown and the hiring of 66 employees. Company growth is a reflection, in part, of the changes brought about by deregulation 10 years ago." Read more

Marcellus Gas Firms Courted by Westmoreland to Spur Jobs
The Pittsburgh region is experiencing tremendous job growth in the natural gas industry and Westmoreland County is actively working to attract more drilling and service companies." The county will solicit proposals from companies to lease part of the former Sony Corp. television plant, to house a plant for treatment of wastewater from drilling. Nearly a dozen companies have located in Westmoreland County to work with drilling companies." Read more

Bakery Square Achieves LEED® Platinum Certification
"Bakery Square in Pittsburgh's Eastside was recently awarded LEED Platinum certification, under the LEED for Core & Shell Rating System. The former Nabisco Building is the second project to receive the LEED Platinum designation in Pittsburgh, one of fewer than 10 in Pennsylvania, and the [highest rated] LEED for Core & Shell project in Western Pennsylvania." Read more

PennDOT Boosts Many Area Projects
"The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has announced $4.1 million in grants to 'smart transportation' projects in the region that promote biking and walking and systems that bring together multiple types of transportation. PennDOT awarded $24.7 million to 41 communities statewide in its second round of 'smart transportation' grants, intended to advance projects that promote sustainability." Read more

Chatham Hopes to Break Ground on Unprecedented 'Green Campus'
"Chatham University hopes to break ground by this summer on the first new structure on its Eden Hall campus … eventually up to 1,500 students will pursue studies there in sustainability and other fields. The filing of a master plan with municipal officials in Richland is the latest step in the university's effort to transform 388 acres donated to it in 2008 into a 'green campus' in Pittsburgh's north suburbs." Read more

Pittsburgh Region Featured on BBC's World Tonight
Last month, the BBC broadcast of World Tonight's series on regional economics featured Pittsburgh's transformation story. Featuring Allegheny Conference on Community Development's CEO Dennis Yablonsky, BBC reported that Pittsburgh is a global symbol of economic, environmental and quality of life transformation, one of America's — and the world's — great comeback stories. Several others were interviewed, highlighting the region's growing high tech entrepreneurial community. The feature begins roughly around 35 minutes. Listen here

Learning from Pittsburgh: Detroit 2020
"Like Detroit, [Pittsburgh] was once a place that was heavily reliant on one industry sector that when it had trouble affected the entire region. 'Today, [the region's] economy is very balanced and very diversified and as a result we're able to weather some of these economic downturns,' says Dennis Yablonsky, CEO of the Allegheny Conference. Diversification began by zeroing in on five sectors of the economy: advanced manufacturing, financial services, energy, information technology and health care and life sciences." Read more

PNC Economist Predicts Rosy Future for Pittsburgh Region
"The Pittsburgh region will benefit this year from the nation's improving economy, which will create more jobs, cut the jobless rate and raise local housing prices, PNC Financial Service Group's top economist predicted last month. 'Southwestern Pennsylvania will participate in a self-sustaining recovery in 2011 and beyond,' PNC's Stuart Hoffman said." Read more

University of Pittsburgh Ranked a Best Value in Public Higher Education
"The University of Pittsburgh ranks as the top value in Pennsylvania for in-state students, the nation's 8th-best value for out-of-state students, and the country's 28th-best value for in-state students in The Kiplinger 100: Best Values in Public Colleges, 2010-11. The top 100 were selected from more than 500 public four-year colleges and universities." Read more

Forbes Ranks Pittsburgh No. 6 "America's Most Affordable City"
Pittsburgh came in sixth in Forbes Magazine's list of "America's Most Affordable Cities." To compile the list, [Forbes] started with the 50 largest U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and then compiled a mix of data aimed at handicapping the overall affordability of living in each. Forbes looked at the current median asking price of homes on the market, median salaries of workers with bachelor's degrees or higher compared to the cost-of-living index and the latest unemployment rates. Read more

PLSG Reels in Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Two VC firms
"Two big pharma companies, Johnson & Johnson and Merck, and two venture capital firms will be moving into the expanded Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG) campus, news that follows on the heels of the incubator's $5 million Accelerator Fund to boost the region's life science industry. In addition, Novitas and Corridor Venture Partners are moving in … The move marks a return to the region for Novitas, formerly PA Early Stage." Read more

Pittsburgh 2010 VC Investment Hits 10-Year High at $159.5M
"Venture capital investment in 2010 for the Pittsburgh region is trending upward at $159.5 million spread over 52 deals, hitting a high note that may be sign of the region's economic recovery. Among the top deals of 2010: Precision Therapeutics, $35 million; Netronome Systems, $23 million; Modcloth, $19.2 million; Avere , $17 million; ALung, $14 million; Clear Count Medical Systems, $5 million." Read more

$10M Grant to Rehabilitate Former Sony Site
"Westmoreland County has received a $10 million state grant to rehabilitate the former Sony plant for new tenants at the 43-year-old factory that sits in East Huntingdon and Hempfield townships. The money was part of the state's Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program." Read more

Pennsylvania Awards $4M in Tech Commercialization Grants
"The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development is doling out $4 million in grant funding to technology commercialization projects throughout the Commonwealth aimed at creating new companies. The funding was awarded through a competitive process and the final awards were approved by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority." Read more

Cognition Therapeutics Lands $2.5M to Advance Promising Alzheimer's Therapy
"Cognition Therapeutics on the South Side has raised a $2.5 million to help advance its promising compound to treat Alzheimer's disease to the next level of development … The funding will elevate one or more of the company's compounds to Investigational New Drug (IND) candidate status." Read more

University of Pittsburgh Gets BNY Mellon Help for Program to Shape Business Leaders
"Bank of New York Mellon Corp. will underwrite a $1 million, 10-year University of Pittsburgh initiative on corporate social responsibility. The grant will finance student fellowships, faculty research fellowships, annual forums and case study competitions through Pitt's David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership at the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and the College of Business Administration." Read more 

University of Pittsburgh-Children's Team Gets $8.2 M to Study Antibiotic Resistance
"Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC have been awarded a six-year, $8.2 million contract (pending the availability of appropriations) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct a study of 600 children to address antibiotic resistance. Children's Hospital is one of only four institutions to be awarded these contracts related to antimicrobial research from the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)." Read more

Suburban Pittsburgh Start-up Develops Glasses That Shift UV Protection
Dynamic Eye, "the Mt. Lebanon-based company, has spent the past seven years building sunglasses that come with one frame, two lenses – and an algorithm that can outsmart the sun and identify where glare is strongest. Dynamic Eye frames have a built-in processing system that concentrates shade to portions of the lens hit hardest by the sun, allowing differing degrees of shade throughout the lens." Read more

Start-up on the Run: Shoefitr is Just the Right Size for Online Retail
"Innovation Works' Alphalab has another success story to talk about. Pittsburgh start-up Shoefitr is designing an application that shows how a shoe will fit by using 3D scanning technology to compare the internal dimensions of shoes. Last July, Shoefitr took top honors during the Global TWiST meetup, beating out some tough competition." Read more

CMU Spinoff Lean & Zoom Technology Creates National Buzz
"New technology Lean & Zoom is a software download that uses the cameras found in most laptops to automatically magnify the screen when the user leans in for a closer look. Lean & Zoom LLC, the Carnegie Mellon spinoff company behind the technology, recently premiered the technology at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas." Read more

RJ Lee Group Completes Unbound Nanoparticles Study; Joins PRA Private Sector Partnership Committee
"RJ Lee Group, Inc. successfully completed a multi-phase study on unbound nanoparticles (UNP). The study, conducted in collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), evaluated worker exposure and potential environmental release of UNP. Additionally, RJ Lee Group President and Chief Operating Officer, Alex Sciulli, recently joined the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance (PRA) as one of a select group of Private Sector Partnership members." Read more

Europe Calls Again for Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
"The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra plans both to bolster its future and honor its legacy when it returns to Europe in late summer. This will be the 18th time the PSO has toured Europe, and the demand [continues to grow] … As in previous tours, the PSO will be joined by the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance to promote the Pittsburgh region in Europe." Read more

EVENTS

February 9 – National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Celebrates 100 Years in the Pittsburgh Region
Commemorating the 100th birthday of the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), the Pittsburgh Technology Council will host NETL's new Director, Dr. Anthony Cugini to hear about plans to integrate the Pittsburgh region as much as possible in NETL's present and future research and development. A Pittsburgh native, Dr. Cugini oversees the overall work done at this local national laboratory on the implementation of technologies, which will resolve the environmental, supply and reliability constraints surrounding energy resources, especially as it pertains to fossil energy. Presented by the Pittsburgh Technology Council from 7-9 a.m. at CONSOL Energy, Inc. (1000 Consol Energy Drive, Canonsburg, PA, 15317). Cost is $45 Member/$175 Non-Member.

February 10 – Export Basics at Duquesne University
This is a program for new and prospective exporters, covering the essential elements of international business. Through this half-day seminar, the Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will acquaint Western Pennsylvania companies with the mechanics and procedures necessary to develop effective and profitable overseas trade. Presented by the Duquesne University Small Business Development Center at Duquesne University, Rockwell Hall, Room 108 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Cost is $45.

February 10 – Marcellus Shale: Gas Exploration's Opportunity for Entrepreneurs
This event will provide information on what opportunities are out there for entrepreneurs looking to leverage the Marcellus Shale bonanza, and to meet some of the movers and shakers behind the work. Hosted by the Enterprise Forum, this hands-on, interactive forum will focus on "Tapping into the Economic Opportunities from Marcellus Shale Gas and Its Byproducts." Among the presenters will be PA Representative Stan Saylor (R-York), House majority whip and a key legislator behind Marcellus Shale regulation, and Katie Klaber, executive director of the Marcellus Shale Coalition. Held at the Holiday Inn - University Center, Oakland (100 Lytton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213) from 5:30-8 p.m. Advanced general admission is $35.

February 17 – Breakfast Briefing: Dr. Alan Calegari, President and CEO of Ansaldo STS USA
With more than 500 Pittsburgh-based employees, Ansaldo STS USA has been a key player in the region's economy since it was founded 130 years ago in 1881 by George Westinghouse (then known as Union Switch and Signal). Hear from Dr. Alan Calegari, President and CEO of Ansaldo STS USA, to learn more about the role that technology and innovation play in his company's efforts to help modernize the nation's transportation infrastructure. Presented by the Pittsburgh Technology Council at the Rivers Club (301 Grant St #411, Pittsburgh, PA 15219) from 7-9:15 a.m. Cost is $45 Member/ $175 Non-Member.

May 18-27 – Pittsburgh Technology Council's China Business Mission
With a goal of developing business contacts and fostering partnerships, the Pittsburgh Technology Council is coordinating a trip to China for members interested in doing business with that growing economy. The council expects 25 to 30 people to attend. The cost is roughly $6,750 per person and includes airfare, ground transportation, hotels, networking receptions and interpreters. The council is working with the PA Department of Community and Economic Development's Office of International Business to coordinate the trip.