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<copyright>Copyright 2006, Indiana Chamber of Commerce</copyright>
<managingEditor>tschuman@indianachamber.com</managingEditor>
<webMaster>webmaster@indianachamber.com</webMaster>
<title>Indiana Chamber News Headlines</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com</link>
<description>Indiana Chamber of Commerce</description>
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<title>States Able to Maintain Higher Ed Funding </title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3928</link>
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When economic times prove difficult, one of the places lawmakers have traditionally gone for budget cuts is higher education allocations. 

That has not been the case thus far in several states in 2008, although budgets remain tight and tuition increases continue. 

So far this year, several states have ensured that higher education got a decent-sized slice of the budget pie. In oil and coal-producing states like Montana, North and South Dakota and Wyoming, support for higher education is expected to be strong, said Dan Hurley, the director of state relations at the Association of State Colleges and Universities. 
 
But universities have also gotten more money than expected in some states with budget shortfalls, like Kentucky, Maine and South Carolina. “Even in states that are in current economic dire circumstances, higher education, when it is being pared back, it’s been done at a less dramatic degree than what was originally planned,” Hurley said.
 
Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=326419&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=326419</a>
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<title>BLOG: ACEing Customer Service</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3929</link>
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The value of customer service cannot be overestimated. 

The impact of the direct interaction people have with your company or organization often determines whether they will continue as a customer. The Indiana Chamber offers some tips on providing your personnel with the ability to do their job successfully. 

Building a Better Indiana, the Chamber blog, has the insights and seeks your feedback. Read and comment at <a href=&quot;http://indianachamberblogs.com/business-news/customer-service-yeah-its-that-easy/&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>indianachamberblogs.com/business-news/customer-service-yeah-its-that-easy/</a>
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<title>Expert: Problems Mount for Massachusetts Reform</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3926</link>
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Health care reform in Massachusetts continues to be under strong scrutiny. 

National expert Grace Marie-Turner says there are plenty of lessons to be learned and that other states should continue to be wary of the high price tag and other concerns. 

After appearing on a televised forum about the topic, she writes, Massachusetts had a head start on reform with a relatively low uninsured rate, a sophisticated medical system, and political leaders committed to reform. It is doing us the favor of showing us the problems and complexities of states' attempts to achieve universal coverage. 

I received several email messages from Massachusetts citizens after they saw the forum on TV. One told me, &quot;I wish to thank you for the truth you spoke in D.C. regarding the fraudulent, wasteful, corrupt insurance mandate that has become the Massachusetts version of health care reform.&quot; Another said, &quot;Massachusetts has made being uninsured a crime. We do not have enough people willing to speak out for what this law is really doing to the middle-income residents.&quot;

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=16795&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=16795</a>
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<title>Leadership Critical to Developing Proper Workplace Culture</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3925</link>
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Collaboration instead of confrontation. Teamwork in place of turf battles. 

Whether it’s outside entities or internal divisions, an educator and author who specializes in change writes that the culture that prevails is typically set by the organization’s leaders. He offers examples and advice. 

An extremely capable director of a large human-services agency was having a problem with his senior managers. &quot;They're strong, talented managers,&quot; he said, &quot;but they're also control freaks who love to guard their turf. I hate it, but what can you do? That's the cost of having strong people.&quot; It was suggested that the director's assumption was part of the problem - that senior managers could change if they knew it was important to do so and why.

The director had one-on-one meetings with each manager, described the impact of their behavior on others, and told them it was unacceptable. After some testing, most of the managers made significant changes, and the agency's culture became much more open and positive.

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.governing.com/mgmt_insight.aspx&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.governing.com/mgmt_insight.aspx</a>
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<title>New Methods Needed to Pay for Old Roads, Other Projects</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3924</link>
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At the same time Indiana is breaking ground on the long-awaited Interstate 69 extension, the nation’s governors are trying to figure out how to deal with infrastructure challenges. 

Pennsylvania’s Ed Rendell, the new chair of the National Governors Association, has quickly established his priority issue for the next year. 

Rendell said when President Dwight D. Eisenhower was in the White House more than 45 years ago, 11.5 percent of nonmilitary federal spending went for infrastructure, compared with less than 2.5 percent today. He said other developed countries spend far more public money on infrastructure than the U.S. and have high-speed transit systems that American motorists, who are paying $4 for a gallon of gas, would likely use.

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=325671&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=325671</a>
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<title>BLOG: Don&apos;t Take Electricity, Water for Granted</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3923</link>
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Has Indiana been plagued by energy brownouts? Not too often, but reserves are dwindling. 

Has the state run short of water resources? Not so fast with the “no” as droughts have occurred on an approximate 20-year cycle. Long-term planning for these vital resources is the focus of the second installment in the Indiana Chamber’s Letters to Our Leaders campaign. 

Demand for water and electricity is growing as our population and economy grow. The state has an abundant coal reserve and new renewable energy projects, but also shrinking baseload electric reserve margins, rising natural gas prices, and historically high gasoline and oil prices. More and more, capacity, sustainability and the continued availability of water and low-cost energy are concerns for policymakers that seek to succeed in economic development. The state’s governor must begin planning today for the long-term needs of tomorrow, balancing a variety of public, business and environmental interests.

Read at <a href=&quot;http://indianachamberblogs.com/business-news/letters-to-our-leaders-dont-run-out-of-water-power/&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>indianachamberblogs.com/business-news/letters-to-our-leaders-dont-run-out-of-water-power/</a>
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<title>BIO Review Focuses on Growth, Globalization</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3920</link>
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Indiana was well represented and highly regarded at the recent 2008 BIO International Convention and continues to grow its biotech presence. 

MidwestBusiness.com looks at some of the overall industry numbers, with an emphasis on the pharmaceutical end of the spectrum. 

“As BIO noted in its wrap-up comments about the industry, the biotech industry is poised to reach $100 billion in annual revenue at the end of this decade. Actual revenue hit $85 billion in 2007. I believe this number actually <i> underestimates </i> the annual revenue produced by the industry. The number is rooted in the pharmaceutical portion of the business and doesn’t take into account the agricultural and biofuels portion of the biotech business.”

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.midwestbusiness.com/news/viewnews.asp?newsletterID=19326&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.midwestbusiness.com/news/viewnews.asp?newsletterID=19326</a>
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<title>Case Study: Strategic Alliances, Communication Push Through Needed Change</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3919</link>
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Former Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith writes a periodic column on innovative governance. 

In the latest installment, he takes a look at Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and how her efforts brought about successful court system reform despite no direct authority in that area. 

“After months of tough negotiations with the state and county governments, the deal went through. The reforms went beyond incremental consolidation to true simplification by eliminating the offices of 12 elected judges and improving service, while slashing the city's court budget from $30 million to just $11 million.

Atlanta's residents now have a single, technology-driven, paperless court that achieves its core mission without wasting the public's valuable time or the city's limited resources. In this situation, any ambitious leader could have gotten impressive reforms through. But realizing fundamental reforms without direct authority is the feat of a remarkably effective and strategic leader.”

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.governing.com/articles/mayors-sf.htm&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.governing.com/articles/mayors-sf.htm</a>
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<title>LEED System Points the Way for Builders</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3917</link>
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Those looking to lead the way are depending on LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards. 

Learn about green building practices throughout the state – the advantages, legal implications, green roofs and more. 

Bill Barnard of The Troyer Group in Mishawaka says, “The biggest challenge is the learning curve and making sure that all the people on the project understand. If you’re just hunting for points, the project can lose momentum. Hopefully, the designer can work with someone on the building team. For example, maybe a guy running the bulldozer will consider not disturbing a certain area of land because he remembers a meeting that took place regarding LEED standards.”

Michael Shoulders of VPS Architecture in Evansville adds, “It’s a challenge for architects and engineers to take the time and be professional and do the research. We all need to break out of old habits.”

<i> BizVoice®</i> magazine has the story. Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.bizvoicemagazine.com/archives/08julaug/GreenerBuilding.pdf&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.bizvoicemagazine.com/archives/08julaug/GreenerBuilding.pdf</a>
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<title>Equity Investment Conference Open to Financial Participants</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3918</link>
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Financial professionals involved in the investment process are invited to apply for participation in the first INVESTIndiana Conference. 

A number of leading Indiana public companies are taking part in the September 11 event at Lucas Oil Stadium. Attendees will include portfolio fund managers, analysts, money managers and others. 

&quot;This is a great forum that will provide professional investors and analysts a convenient way to gain in-depth insight into the performance and growth prospects of Indiana's leading public companies,&quot; said Terry McWilliams, an investor relations executive who is the conference organizer.

The largest financial institution headquartered in Indiana and the state's second largest public company are participating in the event, as are companies in the medical/healthcare, manufacturing, high-tech/electronics, materials, real estate and banking sectors.

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.invest-ind.com/&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.invest-ind.com/</a>
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<title>Congress to Consider Great Lakes Compact</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3916</link>
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Indiana was the first state to approve the Great Lakes Compact, an effort to protect the invaluable water resources, earlier this year. 

Michigan became the last state to give the necessary OK this week. The measure now heads to Congress. 

Advocates are hoping it could be ratified by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush yet this year, said David Naftzger, executive director of the Council of Great Lakes Governors.

It is expected to go to the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, and a transportation committee whose chairman is Rep. James Oberstar of Minnesota. Oberstar is a key supporter of the compact. In the Senate, Naftzger said it's not clear where the measure would end up.

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080710/NEWS05/807100358/1007/NEWS05&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080710/NEWS05/807100358/1007/NEWS05</a>
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<title>Health Care Systems That Don&apos;t Work</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3915</link>
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The many factors involved in reforming America’s health care system often prove confusing. 

The Small Business &amp; Entrepreneurship Council tries to break it down to a simple question – “do you trust politicians and government bureaucrats, or individuals making decisions in concert with their health care providers?” 

“Contrary to the utopian views served up by proponents of nationalized health care, these are the harsh realities when government is put in charge – that is, higher costs and diminished quality of care. Given government's track record in all other endeavors, no one should be surprised. The question is: Do we really want to gamble with our lives and economy by going down the doomed path of government-run health care? Certainly, the examples of Great Britain and Canada offer no compelling reasons to do so. Instead, they point us in the opposite direction.”

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.sbsc.org/news/display.cfm?ID=2776&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.sbsc.org/news/display.cfm?ID=2776</a>
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<title>BLOG: Here&apos;s Why We Have to Talk About the Issues</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3914</link>
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On Tuesday, the Indiana Chamber launched an eight-week campaign to help ensure that key public policy issues are part of the 2008 election campaign. 

Local government efficiency was the first topic of the Letters to Our Leaders. A shining example of why that issue is so important emerged on the same day. 

The second installment of Letters to Our Leaders will be released on Tuesday, July 15. It will focus on energy and the environment. An overview of the campaign, including videos and the Chamber blog, is available at <a href=&quot;http://www.indianachamber.com/letters/&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.indianachamber.com/letters/</a>. 

Read the current blog posting and learn about an all-too-common lack of local government efficiency at <a href=&quot;http://indianachamberblogs.com/government/government-inefficiency-wall-remains-in-place/&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>indianachamberblogs.com/government/government-inefficiency-wall-remains-in-place/</a>
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<title>Good News Continues to Emerge for Charter Schools</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3913</link>
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Are charter schools the solution to America’s education problems? 

No, not by themselves. But they certainly deserve to be part of the mix. A recent Heartland Institute article reports on some success stories and the growing popularity of these education choices. 

Charters are booming in the state with the longest track record. Although overall public school enrollment in Minnesota is declining, charter schools last year experienced their largest increase since 1991-92, the year the nation's first charter school opened in Minnesota.

In Denver a group of angry parents came to a school board meeting last month demanding to know why the same choice was not available to them. &quot;We want this for our kids and our families,&quot; said Luci Saenz, mother of a child at Valdez Elementary. &quot;We are ready to fight. We believe in our children, and we believe they deserve it.&quot; 

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=23491&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=23491</a>
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<title>Economic Factors Fall Into Place in North Dakota</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3912</link>
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Compare Indiana’s state budget to our Midwest neighbors and we’re doing pretty well. 

But we’re not able to match an unlikely leader in economic prowess – North Dakota. Oil deposits, heavy agricultural interests and even its location near Canada are factors in producing a large budget surplus. 

Though nearly half of the states have had to deal with budget shortfalls and other troubles this year, North Dakota officials say their state has a $740 million surplus, a staggering figure for a state that ranks 48th in population and whose general fund budget is about $1.2 billion a year.

North Dakota doesn’t have the largest surplus – Alaska and Texas each could be as much as $10 billion in the black in January – but what is striking about its success is how well the state is doing compared to others in its own region.

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=323920&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=323920</a>
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<title>Attack on HSAs is Unwarranted</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3911</link>
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No, health savings accounts (HSAs) are not the singular solution to our nation’s health care crisis. 

But why is Congress meddling with the growing-in-popularity opportunity to put more control in the hands of the patients? Heritage Foundation experts aren’t buying the explanation. 

“HSA detractors in Congress seem to think politicians, insurance companies and policy nerds are better suited to call the shots on how you spend your money. This reasoning reflects an underlying assumption that patients can't be trusted to effectively control their own health-care decisions.

But the congressional critics know better than to put their cards on the table. So rather than attack HSAs directly, they create a diversion over account balances.”

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed070808d.cfm&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed070808d.cfm</a>
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<title>Chambers to Host Women in Business Event</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3908</link>
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“The New Little Black Dress” is the theme for the first Women in Business conference hosted by the Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce. 

The August 1 event features three keynote speakers and 11 interactive presentations during breakout sessions. The Rush County and Batesville Area chambers are program partners. 

North Decatur High School in Greensburg is the conference location. The keynoters include:

•	Linda Clemons, who will kick off the conference with an inspirational presentation, “High Heels: Walking the Higher Ground,” to help motivate everyone to make the most out of their day. She is CEO of Sisterpreneur, Inc., an international business empowerment organization and a popular radio and television personality. 
•	Melissa Jaegle’s lunch presentation “Coffee, Credit &amp; Crisis” addresses the daily wear and tear on our lives: places to go ... bills to pay ... never-ending work to do. This presentation will deliver a simple method to cope and overcome the day-to-day weariness of life’s constant demands.  
•	Dr. Leah Jackman-Wheitner will conclude the conference with “The Five Keys to Unlocking Your Core Confidence.” The path to complete core confidence is a path of gaining clarity about who you are.  

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.greensburgchamber.com/resources/WIBBrochureNew.pdf&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.greensburgchamber.com/resources/WIBBrochureNew.pdf</a>
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<title>Wisconsin Sees Potential Benefits of High-Speed Rail Corridor</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3907</link>
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In recent years, Indiana and its Midwest neighbors have been part of an effort to establish high-speed rail. 

A newspaper story in La Crosse, Wisconsin reports on a high-speed corridor from Chicago to Minneapolis – with Wisconsin cities among the beneficiaries. Energy efficiency, less congestion and economic growth are cited. 

The DOT proposal would add 12 trains a day, zipping passengers between the Twin Cities and Chicago in less than six hours. It is estimated that the Chicago-Twin Cities high-speed train would carry 1.8 million passengers a year. With service to Green Bay, ridership would jump to 3.7 million.

It also would provide jobs - more than 9,500 according to the DOT - and could bring $16 million to $23 million in new development to La Crosse.

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2008/07/06/news/01afasttrain.txt&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2008/07/06/news/01afasttrain.txt</a>
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<title>BLOG: Communication Advice From a Leading Authority</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3905</link>
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Frank Luntz is a political pollster, television commentator and analyst, college professor, author, expert communicator and more. 

His book, “Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear,” offers practical advice for all. A one-on-one interview with Luntz is featured in the current issue of <i> BizVoice®</i> magazine. 

Among the comments from Luntz: “I think many times they (communicators) forget it’s the impact on the listener, not the feeling of the speaker, that really matters. They tend to use language that pleases them rather than language that impacts the person they’re trying to change.” He adds that he never uses podiums or stands on stages when he speaks because “I want to be as close to the respondent as possible – to see their reaction, to gauge it.”

Read at <a href=&quot;http://www.indianachamberblogs.com/&quot; target=&quot;new&quot;>www.indianachamberblogs.com/</a>
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<title>A Deeper Look at the Venture Capital Pool</title>
<link>http://www.indianachamber.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=3906</link>
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The Ohio-based State Science &amp; Technology Institute is a leading authority on, you guessed it, science and technology issues. 

Along with sharing the news in these sectors, it has particular strengths in research and data analysis. Venture capital is today’s topic of choice, with a review of recent trends. 

According to SSTI, with the recent news that initial public offerings and mergers and acquisitions for venture-back companies are becoming scarce, many are anticipating a national venture capital crisis. A lack of exit opportunities could lead angel and venture investors to become more hesitant to invest at any stage of venture development as they seek opportunities that produce a return in the foreseeable future. 

In this sort of environment, it may be appropriate to examine how recent trends have effected early-stage investment around the country and which states have been successfully cultivating early-stage capital in a time when risk-averse investors increasingly have turned toward later-stage investments for short-term returns.

Recently, SSTI analyzed the data on per capita venture capital dollars and deals at different stages of company development. Adjusting for population and focusing on seed- and early-stage capital revealed that several states, including Washington, the District of Columbia, Colorado, Maryland and Connecticut, are seeing impressive increases in capital opportunities for early-stage entrepreneurs, even though their achievements are often overshadowed by the sheer volume of dollars invested in California and Massachusetts. Now, SSTI examines trends in this data and, in particular, which states have increased the amount of per capita venture capital available to early-stage entrepreneurs since 2003.

After the end of the tech boom, the venture capital market hit a six-year low point in 2003. Since then, investment has grown steadily from $19.75 billion to $30.25 billion, while the number of national deals has increased from 2,925 in 2003 to 3,900 last year. This growth reflects a strong rebound in the national venture market, but these gains have been neither equally distributed around the country nor equally strong for all stages of investment. Later-stage investments have gained in popularity, nearly overtaking expansion-stage investment as the most common type of deals. Meanwhile, seed- and early-stage investment has languished in many states, including those where overall investments are growing due to the rise in later-stage investments and the larger size of those deals.

California and Massachusetts lead the country in per capita seed- and early-stage venture dollars and in overall growth in investments since 2003, so it is unsurprising that those two states are near the top of the list in earlier-stage per capita growth and deals. California leads the country in terms of dollars, with seed- and early stage investment increasing by $43.78 per person in the last four years. The state has increased its number of seed- and early-stage deals per million residents by 5.46 in that same time, making it the third-fastest grower. Massachusetts increased its per capita investment in the earlier stages by $19.43, placing it in third, and grew its number of deals by 5.24. These two venture capital hotspots posted large gains in both dollars and deals; however, several other states also have made impressive progress.

Washington performed well in both categories, increasing its earlier-stage per capita investment by $29.16 and its number of deals per million residents by 6.13, placing it in second in both categories. The District of Columbia was the only other state to rank in the top 10 in both dollars and deals. Vermont led the country in deal growth with 6.43 more deals per million people in 2007, though it did not appear in the top ranks for dollars due to the smaller size of these deals.

In the U.S. as a whole, the amount of per capita dollars invested in seed- and early-stage deals increased by $8.42, and the number of deals grew by 1.39 per million residents. Only 10 states had a dollar increase higher than the national average. Only 13 states did the same for earlier-stage deals. This indicates that relatively few states are seeing substantial gains in increasing the early-stage capital available for entrepreneurs.
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