Innovation 2.0 Regional STEM Action Plan Unveiled

On May 12, 2017 the East Bay Economic Development Alliance (East Bay EDA) officially unveiled their “Innovation 2.0 Regional STEM Action Plan” for the East Bay with two local Members of the United States Congress: Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman Mark DeSaulnier at Wareham Development’s EmeryStation.

In early 2007, House Democrats put forth a historic and ambitious Innovation Agenda to ensure America’s continued position as the most competitive and innovative nation in the world. There were 22 planks included in the Innovation Agenda unveiled early in the 110th Congress and, of these, 21 have been translated into legislative provisions that have been signed into law. 

In February 2016, Leader Nancy Pelosi reinvigorated this agenda and asked her colleagues to restart this dialog by conducting “roundtable discussions” with key businesses, education and community stakeholders. Congressmembers Lee, DeSaulnier and Swalwell hosted a roundtable and several members of the East Bay EDA participated. At a follow-up reconvening in October 2016, the East Bay EDA was tasked with creating a regional STEM action plan. 

Since then, the Employer Advisory Committee of East Bay EDA has been conducting research, seeking advisement from subject matter experts, and defining and authoring the “Innovation 2.0 Regional STEM Action Plan.” The plan, the first from any region in the nation, is complete. Once the agenda is released, it will be used as a blue print for potential legislative resolutions and business engagement with education.