Texas Gov. Rick Perry recently announced the appointment of 17 high-tech leaders, entrepreneurs and research experts to the advisory committee for the newly created Emerging Technology Fund established by House Bill 1765. The committee will make recommendations to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House on collaborations, investments, research grants and recruitment associated with the Emerging Technology Fund.

"I am confident in the expertise and vast experience of these committee members and their enduring commitment to Texas' future," Perry said. "This fund will improve research at our universities, help start-up technology firms get off the ground and significantly reduce the time it takes to move new life-changing inventions out of the lab and into the hands of consumers."

Perry proposed the fund in 2004 and made it a legislative priority in his State of the State Address to the Texas legislature in January. Perry signed into law House Bill 1765, creating the $200 million Texas Emerging Technology Fund, on June 13.

The fund focuses on fostering innovation, research and job creation in emerging high-tech industries like semiconductor manufacturing, biotechnology, nanotechnology, environmental sciences and advanced energy.

"Texas is taking a significant step to ensure that the benefits from technology innovations accrue to Texas colleges, Texas workers and the Texas economy," Perry said. "The emerging Technology Fund will give Texas the competitive edge we need to ensure greater opportunity, prosperity and a brighter future for all of our people."

The Emerging Technology Fund will include three major areas of investment:

• Increasing research and commercialization collaboration between public and private sector entities to develop new Regional Centers of Innovation and Commercialization where the seeds of an idea can take root and eventually grow into a new product marketed by a new firm.
  
  
• Matching research grants provided by both federal and private sponsors to help innovators acquire the capital they need to bring their idea to life.
  
  
• Attracting more top-notch research teams from other universities around the nation that will help put Texas universities on the cutting edge of technology research and development.

"Over the next decade, emerging technologies will generate $3 trillion in revenue worldwide, thousands of new jobs and revolutionary innovations that will vastly improve our quality of life. With the Emerging Technology Fund, Texas will be at the forefront of this new frontier," Perry said.

The appointees are:

• David Nance of Austin is president and CEO of Introgen Therapeutics, serving as a member of Introgen's board of directors since its inception in June 1993. From 1992 to 1996, Nance served as managing partner of Texas Biomedical Development Partners, an Austin investment group.
  
  
• Pike Powers of Austin is a partner with Fulbright & Jaworski, L.L.P. He has more than 25 years of experience in bringing economic development and investment to the state of Texas. A graduate of Lamar University, he received a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. Powers has provided leadership strategies in recruiting and retaining several major business to Austin including; Applied Materials, 3M, MCC and Sematech.
  
  
• Alan Abbott of El Paso is a certified public accountant and board chairman of Sunland Optical Company, Inc. Abbott brings 30 years of entrepreneur start-up, commercial lending and investing experience to the committee. He currently serves as president of Lynwood Garden Investments, is board chairman of the Paso Del North Group and trustee for the Camino Real Angel Network in El Paso. A graduate of Stanford University, Abbott received a master's degree in business from the University of Texas at El Paso. He also is an American Board Certified Optician.
  
  
• Dr. C. Thomas Caskey of Houston is president and CEO of Cogene Biotech Ventures. He also serves as president of the Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas. Caskey