Innovations can come from anyone with a good idea, drive and some luck, but it sure is nice to have some help.
Rhode Island last year lost a couple of advantages it had in developing a reputation as home for innovators with the closings of the nonprofit Tech Collective and the state-run R.I. Office of Innovation.
The former provided training and other help for innovators in and around the capital city for two decades, before falling victim to a pandemic-related revenue decline.
The Office of Innovation was part of R.I. Commerce Corp. for more than five years before quietly ceasing operations last year. Equally concerning is Commerce’s failure to respond to Providence Business News’ questions about why the office closed.
If lack of funding was part of the decision, Gov. Daniel J. McKee must immediately redirect some of the unspent hundreds of millions of dollars the state has in pandemic-related aid to reopen it.
There can be no better investment by the state than in fostering the creativity and drive for change that all successful innovators share.