The Technology Gateway Alliance works to strengthen and expand existing technology companies and grow new ones.
By Chris Byrnes, Ph.D.
It’s not common knowledge that the St. Louis metropolitan area is home to more than 1,000 technology-based companies employing 100,000 highly skilled workers. It’s also not commonly known that Greater St. Louis is a leading research and development center, with area employers annually investing $2 billion in research and development —more than the acclaimed “Research Triangle” in North Carolina.
To capitalize on the wealth of knowledge, research and innovation occurring in the St. Louis region’s “backyard,” the RCGA, area high-tech entrepreneurs and research universities formed the Technology Gateway Alliance, as part of their efforts to position the metropolitan area as America’s Center for Technology. Technology Gateway developed as a natural outgrowth of the RCGA’s former Science and Engineering Council. The RCGA recognized that the results from a 1997 study of the region’s technology sector indicated a coordinated, industry-wide effort was needed to enhance the technology industry. The Celeste & Sabety Report concluded: the St. Louis region has a wealth of high-tech industries, comparing well with the majority of larger communities; the region’s academic commitment to the study and research of technology also compares well from a national perspective; and St. Louis’ high-tech sector had not been successful to date in leveraging these assets into an industry-wide economic expansion.
Formerly launched by the RCGA in May 1998, the mission of Technology Gateway is to advance the region’s technology-based economy. The Alliance’s vision involves empowering technology professionals with the efficient and effective tools to achieve growth and positive change, thereby renewing the industry and the community. Technology Gateway’s focus is to create a critical mass of ideas, people and money in and around technology-related business activities. After 18 months the Technology Gateway Alliance has more than 250 members.
Being a “sister organization” within the RCGA allows Technology Gateway’s concerns, agendas and programs to be heard throughout the business community and provides access to various decision makers—civic leaders; local, state and national political leaders; universities; and other technology-oriented companies. This formal tie with the RCGA (which is further promoted by the chair of Technology Gateway also serving as vice chair of science and technology of the RCGA’s board of directors), along with the momentum of the members, has created a technology alliance rivaling alliances across the country that have been around for 10 or more years.
In a continuing effort to promote the emerging technology industry, the RCGA established the Fast 50 awards banquet in 1996. Along with the lead sponsorship of Deloitte & Touche, an outstanding event has been created, which recognizes the fastest 50 growing technology companies in the region that have been in business for five or more years. Other sponsors include: A.G. Edwards, Armstrong Teasdale, KMOX, KSDK, St. Louis Business Journal, St. Louis Commerce Magazine, St. Louis Science Center and UMB Bank. Local winners are nominated for national technology awards, with numerous St. Louis-area companies ranking as the fastest growing technology businesses in the nation. The FAST 50 program seeks nominations each year in April, with awards being presented in September. September 2000 will mark the fifth annual St. Louis Fast 50 awards program.
Regional civic, business and technology leaders have joined together to:
- Build a critical mass of ideas, people and money in and around technology-related business activities
- Promote existing businesses and expansion opportunities
- Market the St. Louis technology industry regionally and nationally
- Address current and future issues facing technology companies in the St. Louis region
- Share lessons learned with other technology industry leaders
- Attract, recruit and retain scientists, engineers and other technology professionals
- Leverage civic and legislative resources regarding the technology industry
GET INVOLVED
To sustain its momentum, Technology Gateway needs volunteers to work on numerous committees to help shape policy, influence decision makers and promote the region as America's Center for Technology. Six working committees and networks have already formed and need expertise from those in the technology community:
- Capital Formation Committee — Addresses technology-based businesses’ need for capital by increasing knowledge of and access to sources of capital within and outside St. Louis. Chair: Steve Lowy, president Envision. Chair-elect: Spencer Burke, managing director - investment banking, A.G. Edwards
- Workforce Enhancement Committee — Ensures that St. Louis technology businesses have a consistent supply of technically excellent workers at all skill levels. Will address educating and training a qualified technical work force, as well as recruitment issues. Chair: Curt Hartog, director, CAIT-Washington University. Chair-elect: Julie Eckstein, director of marketing, Keystone Partnership
- Image/Marketing Committee — Works to develop and promote a prominent and positive, internal and external image of the region as a technology-rich community. Encourages companies here to locate and expand, capital sources to invest in the region and skilled workers to seek employment opportunities. Chair: Bryan Baehr, president, Impact Technologies, Inc. Chair-elect: Cathy Dunkin, principal, The Standing Partnership
- Entrepreneurship & Technology Transfer Committee—Provides support to new and developing technology-based companies to increase the number and success rate of new businesses—especially those based on research at the region’s universities, corporate laboratories and other technology sources inside and outside the region. Maximizes the value of St. Louis’ incubators and research parks, provides specialized business advice and facilitates access to support functions. Chair: Bob Calcaterra, Ph.D., president NIDUS Center. Chair-elect: Susan Welsh, M.D., chief knowledge officer, Monsanto
- Information Technology Network— Developing a network of companies and support organizations for the information technology industry to educate members about technical, marketing, legislative, strategic alliances and other areas. Networking will take place through forums and events addressing specialized topics of interest to the members. Chair: Bob Wacker, partner, Impact Technologies, Inc. Chair-elect: Joe Blomker, president & CEO, Maryville Technologies
- Life Sciences Network—Developing a network of companies and support organizations for the life sciences industries to educate members about technical, marketing, legislative, strategic alliances and other areas. Networking takes place through forums and events addressing specialized topics of interest to the members. Chair: Frank Yin, chair, Biomedical Engineering department at Washington University. Chair-elect: Roger Beachy, Ph.D., president, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
First-ever “InvestMidwest” Venture Capital Forum
The St. Louis region will be hosting a major business development initiative this Spring—the first-ever InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum for High Growth and Technology Companies. The national two-day venture capital event, to be held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Clayton Tuesday and Wednesday, May 23 and 24, 2000, is a joint venture of the St. Louis RCGA, the Missouri Venture Forum and Technology Gateway.
The inaugural InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum will bring together up to 250 of the region’s and the nation’s leading venture capitalists, investors, bankers, and accounting and legal professionals to focus on venture capital needs and opportunities in the region, including “deal ready” presentations by 15 to 20 emerging growth “deal ready” businesses seeking funding.
The Danforth Foundation and the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership have committed significant capital underwriting investments in their roles as founding sponsors of InvestMidwest. The Forum will also be supported through corporate sponsors and funding from the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
RCGA President & CEO Dick Fleming, notes “The primary objective of InvestMidwest is to provide access to capital for emerging, privately-held companies, and to promote greater entrepreneurship, business growth and expansion in the region and to enable the national venture capital community to experience the St. Louis market first hand.”
Steve Broun, senior vice president at Capital For Business, Inc. and a Missouri Venture Forum Board member adds, “The St. Louis region is experiencing impressive entrepreneurial business growth. Accordingly, the time is right for InvestMidwest, which will serve as a catalyst to provide the necessary seed capital to fuel the growth of these emerging businesses.”
