The Next American Economy : Can America’s idea factories save the day?

At a time when the U.S. is hungry for good jobs, CEOs, technologists and economic development experts are examining America’s universities for clues on whether new industries can be created on American soil, rather than in China, Taiwan or Singapore. Corporate research centers like Bell Labs and Xerox Park have all but disappeared, leaving universities as increasingly important idea factories. The reality is that for every A123 that reaches viability - or for every Hewlett-Packard or Google - dozens of others fail. And for every disruptive technology that is commercialized, dozens remain locked inside the ivied halls of academe.