Get Up and Go

Even with solid economy, startup activity strong in Texas

When economic conditions deteriorate, the pace of entrepreneurial activity quickens. The Kauffman Foundation, a treasure trove of entrepreneurship-related information, released its national study of entrepreneurial activity in 2008.

As the Dallas Morning News noted in its article this morning, Texas ranked 13th overall. Out of the 15 largest metropolitan areas (of which DFW is 4th and Houston 8th), the Metroplex tied for 7th place with San Francisco with 0.42% (420 entrepreneurs per 100,000 population), and the Houston area came in 9th with 0.34%. [Ed. Note: I read the stats differently than DMN.]

The national average was 0.32%, so DFW was significantly above average. That information can be interpreted different ways, and may actually indicate a bit stronger economic situation in H-town and its environs since job loss is a major catalyst for individuals to start their own ventures. .:.

Texas Triangle highlighted in Federal study

Academic research not just "academic" when it comes to long-range planning

The Federal Highway Administration commissioned a survey of literature related to planning on a regional and mega-regional basis. The extensive 103-page document highlights the handful of mega regions identified by regional planners and academics.

1. Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion
2. Northeast Megaregion
3. Northern California Megaregion
4. Southern California Megaregion
5. Great Lakes Megaregion
6. Texas Triangle
7. Southern Florida Megaregion
8. Gulf Coast Megaregion
9. Cascadia
10. Arizona Sun Corridor
    

Interestingly, Houston is one of the few metro areas to belong to two different mega regions: the Texas Triangle and the Gulf Coast. While certainly Houston is connected to the Gulf Coast because of the oil and gas industry, I would argue other ties are much more tenuous than compared to the strong bonds connecting H-town to the Texas Triangle.

This would all be academic apart from the fact that plans for high speed rail are being bandied about, and, as mentioned before (see "Mind the Gap"), no rail link is being proposed to connect Houston to the rest of the Lone Star State.

Below is material adapted from the FHWA report, describing the various mega regions. .:.

New 150-Page Texas Triangle Report

Aggies Launch Blog Dedicated to Texas Urban Triangle

Graduate students from Texas A&M established a blog this week to make their 2008 study available for public consumption.

Entitled "Texas Urban Triangle:Framework for Future Growth," the study was funded by a grant from the Southwest Universities Transportation Consortium (SWUTC).

Professors Michael Neuman and Elise Bright oversaw creation of the report, which weighs in at 141 pages. The full report is downloadable in sections or in full at http://texasurbantriangle.tamu.edu/.

The site describes the next stage of development for the long-term project as developing a tool to "aid policy and investment decision making regarding future urban development and infrastructure."

Welcome to the party..:.

Innovation Clusters - UPDATED

Non-Energy Clusters

1. Austin Technology Incubator
2. Biotech Initiative
3. Houston Technology Center
4. IC2 Institute [Austin]
5. Metroplex Technology Business Council
6. Music Industry [Statewide, Portal]
7. Nanotechnology Initiative [Statewide, Portal]
8. New Media Consortium [Austin, Portal]
9. Rural Alliance for Renewable Energy (RARE)
10. Social Media Club [Austin]
11. Telecom Corridor [Richardson; Portal]

Clean Tech & Energy

1. National Algae Association
2. Energy Corridor [Houston]
3. SEED Coalition (Sustainable Energy and Economic Development)
4. Solar San Antonio (SSA)
5. Solar Energy Society (TXSES)
6. Solar Energy [Austin, Portal]
7. Renewable Energy, Texas Land Office [portal]
8. Renewable Energy Industry Association [TX; Portal]
9. Renewable Energy Association of Central Texas (REACT)
10. Metropolitan Partnership for Energy [San Antonio]
11. Infinite Power of Texas [renewables]
12. Houston Renewable Energy Group
13. El Paso Solar Energy Association (EPSEA)
14. Clean Energy Incubator [Austin]
15. Alternative Energy Institute

Industry Studies

1. Aerospace & Defense [TX; PDF]
2. Automotive Manufacturing [TX; PDF]
3. Aviation & Aerospace [TX; PDF]
4. Biotechnology [TX; PDF]
5. Energy Production [Energy Information Agency]
6. Energy Report [comprehensive; TX Comptroller; 2008]
7. Nanotechnology [TX; PDF]
8. Renewable Energy [Energy Conservation Office; 2008]
9. Semiconductors [TX; PDF]

Information Infrastructure

1. Media - All Cities, All Media
2. Media - Statewide
3. Power - Daily Wholesale Market Data [2004-]
4. Power - Market Directories [multiple lists]
5. Power - State of the Market Reports
6. Telecom - Area Codes [map]
7. Telecom - Cable Providers [list]
8. Telecom - Competitive LECs [list]
9. Telecom - Incumbenet LECs [list]
10. Telecom - Long Distance Carriers [list]
11. Telecom - Municipal Providers
12. Telecom - Payphone Providers [list]

Transportation Infrastructure

1. Texas Railroads [AAR.org]
2. National Bridge Inventory [FHWA.dot.gov]
3. Ports Directory [TexasPorts.org]
4. 2008 Texas Transportation Report [BTS.gov]
5. Texas Energy Production Report [EIA.gov]
6. Texas Ports - map [WorldPortSource.com]

Regional Focus

1. Atlanta [Council on Competitiveness, report]
2. Biobusiness Alliance [Minnesota]
3. Cambridge Investment Research [Cambridge, England]
4. Great North Alliance [Minneapolis-St. Paul]
5. Indiana Business Research Center [Kelley School of Business; good comparative data v. other states]
6. MBBNet [Minnesota, biomedical portal]
7. Minneapolis-St. Paul [biotech & biomedical]
8. Pittsburgh [Council on Competitiveness, report]
9. Research Triangle [Council on Competitiveness, report]
10. San Diego [Council on Competitiveness, report]
11. Wichita [Council on Competitiveness, report]
12. World Financial Centers, Top 50 [PDF]

U.S.A.

1. Demography of Clusters [overview of cluster iniatives, PDF]
2. Clusters of Innovation Initiative: Regional Foundations of U.S. Competitiveness [Council on Competitiveness, report]
3. Clusters of Innovation Initiative [multiple MSAs]
4. U.S. Clusters [4MB+ PDF]
5. The Cluster Initiative Greenbook [how-to, 2MB PDF, free registration req.]
6. Harvard Clusters Database [833 worldwide clusters, PDF]

Thinktanks

1. America 2050 Project [megas, national]
2. Brookings Institution [business location]
3. Council on Competitivness [international, regional and local]
4. Cyberstates [clusters, high technology]
5. Harvard Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness [industry clusters]
6. Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech [megas, national & international]
7. Milken Institute [regional economics]
8. The Citistates Group [regional biz thinktank]

Megapolitan Case Studies & Reports-Updated

Texas


• The Texas Triangle as Megalopolis [Houston Business]


• The Simple Economics of the Texas Triangle [Houston Business; PDF]


• Texas Urban Triangle [Texas A&M; 35MB, 150pg PDF]


• Opportunity Urbanism [Houston] (43pg PDF)


• Megaregions: Literature Review of the Implications for U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Transportation Planning [FHWA.dot.gov]


• Economic Progress in the Texas Economy [Houston Business, PDF]


• Economic Development Opportunities For U.S. Mega-Regions


• Connecting the Texas Triangle [whitepaper; RPA.org]


• Beyond the Metroplex [Dallas-Fort Worth]


• Austin-San Antonio Metroplex


• America 2050: Texas Triangle


United States


• Beyond Megalopolis [U.S. megapolitan areas, PDF]


• Bright Lights, Big City [NASA study of urbanization]


• Cascadian Ecopolis [Portland-Seattle-Vancouver, 2MB+ PDF]


• Do Regional Economies Need Regional Coordination? (Edward Glaser) [3MB+ PDF]


• Megalopolis Unbound [Northeast, 8MB+ PDF]


• Nor Cal - California's mega of the north


• Opportunity Urbanism (Houston) by Joel Kotkin [43pg PDF]


• The New Megalopolis (Newseek.com) [good overview]


• Third California by Joel Kotkin [20pg PDF]