General Electric R&D Centre an idea to emulate

Where is General Electric (GE:NYSE) putting its new US$100MM++ Advanced Manufacturing Technology & Software Center? Wayne County, Michigan!

CEO Jeff Immelt says that GE, among other companies, needs to “recreate” technology centres. Isn’t that the truth. The Michigan state government will provide just $5 million of incentives per annum over the next 12 years; seems like a good investment to me (rather than putting a few hundred million into the Ford Motor V8 Essex engine plant across the river near Windsor).

GE’s announcement is a wonderful idea. And there is something poetic about putting a tech centre in the backyard of the old economy. And an idea for all levels of government in Canada to consider. With the demise of Nortel, Canada is losing its historical tech flagship. Bell Labs is no more, as are the tech transer spinoffs.

If Canada is to rebuild its Innovation Economy, we need to do more than just fund on-campus R&D and save a few venture capital funds. We need to get the corporate sector far more involved, just as Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has done.

MRM