Many Happy Returns

Editor's Note

October / November 2004 By: Bob Cochnar Volume 2 Number 5

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You remember those old Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney movies when somebody invariably said, "Hey, I know what we'll do. We'll put together a show." Whereupon the kids rehearsed for a moment or so and proceeded to sing and dance up a storm.

And that, more or less, is how TechComm, the National Journal of Technology Commercialization, lurched into existence on a bimonthly schedule. With six issues under our belt, we're now a year old and, we think, going strong. I should note that we wouldn't have produced one issue without our invaluable partnership with the National Nuclear Security Administration. It made it possible to publish and to also offer complimentary subscriptions to a select (and growing) readership.

In previous issues we've had major articles on investing in technology, distruptive technologies, technology to secure the nation, how to find investors, alternative forms of energy and creating cleaner fossil fuels. These articles were written to interest researchers, executives of technology companies, government officials, entrepreneurs and investors who make up our core readership.

Because we know our readers are exceptionally busy people, we've tried to forge interesting and useful articles and features that will compete effectively in our particular marketplace. Do let us know if we're on the right track.

Our overriding goal is to let our readers know what's happening in our national laboratories—principally Sandia, Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore—and what research project could conceivably make it to the marketplace. As far as we know, we're the only publication that concentrates on this area.

The issue you're holding—and maybe even reading—is typical of our approach. The cover story deals with the ongoing revolution in the life sciences, from information technology and pharmaceuticals to biomedical engineering, genomics and medical imaging. Included are contributions from three NNSA labs and the Nevada Test Site as well as the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Regular columns cover technology law, patents, market research and, for the first time, "must-read" books. We've also introduced a new department, Business Strategies, which is intended for folks who want to be technology entrepreneurs.

Our next issue, the second of our second year, promises to be especially intriguing. We're concentrating on innovation from various perspectives—the laboratory, the investment community, the entrepreneur and the marketplace. Building the better mousetrap is, of course, vital, but product success doesn't necessarily mean the world will be beating a path to your door.

As The Economist recently observed, "One of the chief ways in which intelligence presses forward is through innovation, which is now recognized as one of the most important contributors to economic growth. Innovation, in turn, depends on the creative individuals who dream up new ideas and turn them into reality."

We hope you'll find our next issue rewarding. And if you are not a TechComm subscriber, just fill out and return one of the subscription cards in this issue, or access our web site, www.techcommjournal.org.

We invite your suggestions.