Investments in green energy, education, networking opportunities and research top a list of 10 priorities for countries looking to move up the world's financial ranks, according to a leading US expert in innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and economic growth.
Jerry Hultin, Senior Presidential Fellow of New York University, and President Emeritus of the Polytechnic Institute of NYU, says investments in life-long education and entrepreneurial spirit are the primary keys to a country's economic breakthrough.
Mr. Hultin, also a former US Secretary of the Navy, who now advises leaders in both the private and public sectors worldwide, is one of several top US experts attending an international forum Monday Sept. 23 in San Francisco: "Building Sustainable Green Growth and Green Future," followed by an afternoon session with leading American executives detailing "successful growth strategies of innovation-driven companies."
The twin events form central elements of a meeting of Malaysia's Global Science and Innovation Advisory Council, created in 2011 by Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak through the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology in partnership with the New York Academy of Sciences. GSIAC is comprised of world leaders in economics, business, science and technology, each volunteering to help Malaysia pioneer a development path in a sustainable manner. Prime Minister Razak chairs the GSIAC.
According to Mr. Hultin, the top 10 "Green Future" priorities for emerging economy nations:
- - Support green energy development and policies.
- - Provide "cradle to career" education opportunity
- - Re-envision universities
- - Create a culture of national networking for innovation with special purpose incubators
- VC4Africa (East Africa's Venture Capital for Africa: vc4africa.biz)
- MediaX in Palo Alto, which connects businesses with Stanford University's world-renowned faculty: mediax.stanford.edu
- Media Lab of New York, a collaboration between the city government, the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, and Columbia University, connecting companies looking to advance new media technologies with academic institutions undertaking relevant research, in order to drive collaborative innovation: nycmedialab.org
- - Stress research and development, including living laboratories
- - Help other developing nations increase their green energy programs
- - Strongly support small and medium enterprises
- - Seed small commercial developments in rural areas
- - Invest in long-term, game-changing breakthrough research
- - Identify new opportunities in the global market place
Mr. Hultin says energy security is an essential investment in every economy, simultaneously promoting entrepreneurship, the growth of human capital, and businesses of every size -- from small scale to large public-private partnerships.
Mr. Hultin cited as a model Malaysia's National Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan, established in 2009, and urged its full implementation.
Reinforcing views of fellow GSIAC members, Mr. Hultin prescribes the start of educational activities from the earliest possible age, with emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math, to increase the supply of bright entrepreneurial employees available in the national work pool.
Enable university researchers to exit the system, run businesses, and return, says Mr. Hultin, and foster collaborations between science / technology students and business students.
As well, he says, governments should help develop university-run business incubators, facilitate the evolution of research to marketable products, and be a "market-making customer" for new technologies.
Mr. Hultin cites several \ global examples of networking incubators that promote innovation and its financing, including:
Mr. Hultin adds that companies in the developing world might use such networking mechanisms to team with firms in need of local expertise to support and grow exports.
He also pointed to such networking opportunities as the Global Entrepreneurship Summit Oct. 12, officiated by US President Obama and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib, part of the International Greentech and Ecoproducts Exhibition and Conference, in Malaysia Oct. 10 to 13.
Stressing again the critical importance of energy, Mr. Hultin advocates smart electricity initiatives essential to cities of the future, developing and demonstrating energy-saving technologies for the creation of smart transportation, smart buildings and 'microgrids' (local power generation via small urban wind turbines), which together will offer the highest returns on green energy investments.
China is planning cities for 250 million people, he noted, creating enormous opportunity for companies worldwide with relevant high efficiency technologies and expertise.
He points also to the potential of bio-mass in a country like Malaysia with its enormous palm oil industry, the waste from which represents a major Malaysian asset, though its use involves challenges and shale oil will be a very competitive energy option.
To help create "a robust, energetic active network of ideas, young people and capital," engage young people and learn from innovative efforts in other parts of the world, says Mr. Hultin, such as the creation of Africa's Konsa Techno City in Kenya (http://www.konzacity.co.ke), described as "a sustainable, world-class technology hub and a major economic driver for the nation with a vibrant mix of businesses, workers, residents, and urban amenities."
Says Mr. Hultin: "Get out of your home. Help. Learn. Get excited. Bring back ideas."
"A lot of new ideas will come at this level, so pay attention," says Mr. Hultin.
Malaysia's IRIS Corporation, for example, has developed and demonstrated a "smart village," featuring a self-sustaining agriculture system and small homes built with a mixture of styrofoam and cement as its base, "thus lowering development cost without compromising quality," says IRIS. Offering a dignified exit from rural poverty, the first village was inaugurated earlier this year by Prime Minister Najib and attracted world attention, with the Malaysian innovators invited to create a smart village in rural South Africa.
Mr. Hultin suggests emulating creative enterprises like the Green Energy Park in South Africa, which deploys simple, profitable applications for transforming biomass into energy and/or chemicals.
Another example: mobile kiosks for charging cell phones with solar power to help build wireless networks in pockets of the world that are still off-grid.
"Support a long-term transformative breakthrough in science that will completely disrupt and revolutionize the energy equation, even if it may take 30 years to see the results," Mr. Hultin counsels. "Team up with US, European, Indian and/or Chinese universities and corporations."
Examples of such research: Large storage battery technology or high efficiency solar power.
The modular construction of buildings and bridges for export, an innovation being pioneered in the Philippines, is a great example of an emerging opportunity, Mr. Hultin says, as are opportunities related to the world's ever-rising need for resources -- especially food and water -- over the next 30 years.
"Finding money for game-changing ideas will not be an issue," he adds. "Money will find big ideas that work."
"Malaysia has made real progress in creating an innovation economy and focusing on green energy. Now is the time to connect entrepreneurial young people into a fertile network that produces new solutions, new businesses, and new jobs. To use an analogy: The water is hot; now is the time to make the water boil!"
Zakri Abdul Hamid, Science Advisor to Prime Minister Najib, says recommended reforms in the national educational and other human capacity-building systems, finding additional value in Malaysia's oil palm tree resources, and the creation of "smart" communities large and small, are among the ways in which the international council has made a valued contribution to Malaysia's sustainable development in the two and a half years since its creation.
"The GSIAC provides an important international sounding board for the Prime Minister in his leadership of Malaysia's efforts to create a sustainable, high income economy through science, technology and innovation, and we are grateful to all those from other countries such as Jerry Hultin contributing their time and expertise to benefit the Malaysian people."
Among other international guests at the GSIAC forum in San Francisco:
- Kiyoshi Kurokawa, Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, and former Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan
- G. Steven Burrill, CEO, Burrill & Co.
- Roger Wyse, Managing Director, Burrill & Co.
- William F. Miller, Herbert Hoover Professor of Public & Private Management; Emeritus Professor of Computer Science, Stanford University, former President & CEO, SRI International
- Brian Mefford, Chairman and CEO, Connected Nation, Inc
- Alice Gast, President, Lehigh University
- Daniel Kammen, Distinguished Professor of Energy at the University of California, Berkeley
- Debora Frodl, Global Executive Director, Ecomagination, General Electric
- Dato' Mohd Zafer Mohd Hashim, President, Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad
- Yusoff Sulaiman, President and CEO, Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology
- Georges Antoun, Chief Operating Officer, First Solar Incorporated
- Hal V. Barron, M.D, Executive Vice President of Global Development at Genentech, Inc
- Jeff Bryon, Co-Chairman, National Board, Cleantech Open USA
- Josh Becker, Advisory Board, Stanford Business School Fund, co-founder, Clean Economic Network
- Karen Douglas, Commissioner, California Energy Commission
- Matthew G. Futch, Global Policy Director, IBM Energy & Utilities Industry
- Dr. Martha Schlicher, Vice President of Bioenergy, Monsanto
- Timothy M. Stearns, President, American Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Monday, 23 September, Fairmont San Francisco Hotel
High Level Forum on Green Future
"Building Sustainable Green Growth and Green Future"
Hosted by the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) and the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology & Water, Malaysia
Objectives: Identify innovative solutions to the challenges of developing a high-income but low-carbon-economy in a cost-effective manner, Sharing in the wide experience of participants in best-practices to achieve the above aim, and Develop collaborative and innovative financing packages to accelerate green growth initiatives for the global future.
Agenda:
8:30 am Pacific Daylight Time
Welcome by Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Ahmad Tajuddin Ali, Joint-Chairman, MIGHT, Prime Minister's Department, Malaysia
Address: Building Sustainable Green Growth and Green Future
The Honourable Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili,
Minister, Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KETTHA), Malaysia
850 am
Scene setting: Enabling Ecosystem for Green Growth and Sustainable Development
9:15 am
Panel 1: Green Financing and Entrepreneurship
10:10 am
Panel 2: Capacity Building
11:05 am
Panel 3: Green Technology Applications
12 noon
Conclusion, summation:
Datuk Loo Took Gee, Secretary General, Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KETTHA), Malaysia
12:30 pm
Arrival and keynote address, Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of Malaysia
1:50 pm
GSIAC Meeting
2:00 pm
Opening Remarks, Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of Malaysia
2:10 pm
GSIAC progress update, led by the New York Academy of Sciences and MIGHT
- Presentation by Ministry of Education (MOE) and NYAS on human capacity building, addressing science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) education
- Malaysian Biomass initiatives
- Smart communities
- Presentation by Ministry of Health (MOH) and NYAS on nutrition science research collaborations
- Food Security
Commentary by council members
2:45 pm
CEO Session on Science, Technology and Innovation
"Successful growth strategies of innovation-driven companies"
Introduction and context setting
G. Steve Burrill, CEO, Burrill & Co
Commentators:
- Dr. Martha Schlicher, Vice President of Bioenergy, Monsanto (Agriculture)
- Dr. Hal V. Barron, M.D, Executive Vice President of Global Development at Genentech, Inc (Healthcare)
- TBC: Intel (ICT)
Discussion
4:00 pm
Green Sustainable Futures
"Building Sustainable Green Growth and Green Future"
Introduction
Tan Sri Dr. Ahmad Tajuddin Ali, MIGHT Chairman
Context setting
Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili, Minister of KeTTHA
Presentation
Karen Douglas, California Energy Commission
Discussion
4:45 pm
Concluding remarks, Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of Malaysia
About the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT)
MIGHT is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee under the purview of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Built on the strength of public-private partnership with more than 100 members, both local and international, from industry, government and academia, MIGHT is dedicated to providing a platform for industry-government consensus building in the drive to advance high technology competency in Malaysia. http://www.might.org.my
About the New York Academy of Sciences
NYAS is an independent, not-for-profit organization that, since 1817, has been committed to advancing science, technology, and society worldwide. With 25,000 members in 140 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. The Academy's core mission is to advance scientific knowledge, positively impact the major global challenges of society with science-based solutions, and increase the number of scientifically informed individuals in society at large. http://www.nyas.org