The United States will need to improve its capacity to innovate if it wants to maintain its economic position in the world, says Craig Barrett, Chairman of Intel Corporation. Furthermore, government must make R&D more of a priority, as should private industry. Read more..

A new INSEAD-European Business Summit report on climate change has highlighted a surge in ‘green’ activities by US entrepreneurs, backed by venture capital. Until 2005, the amount of VC funds invested in clean technologies such as solar and wind power had been running almost neck and neck in the US and Europe. But then there was a sudden surge of VC interest in the US in 2005, the report says, which resulted in US firms raising $4.5 billion in VC funds to invest in ‘clean’ technology the following year, while the EU raised $1.5 billion. Read more..

Tackling climate change for Europe is “an incredible opportunity to innovate and compete with the rest of the world.” That’s the view of Microsoft International President Jean-Philippe Courtois. Technology can help by linking entrepreneurs to academics, venture capitalists and big business, Courtois says. Read more..