Since the dawn of our democracy, the American Dream has been about opportunity and the fact that anyone from anywhere in society can pursue and achieve a life where they are safe to live, love, and be happy. But in the United States, basically since WWII, the paths to that Dream have narrowed to a single route and formula that requires a University Degree (and a house and car) – a path that is ge

Earlier today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced 35 organizations from 19 states that will receive nearly $15 million to create and expand cluster-focused proof-of-concept and commercialization programs and early-stage seed capital funds.

Broadband has become an indispensable driver of economic growth and workforce development, creating new opportunities for Americans to participate in the modern, global economy and changing the way they find and do their jobs.  Broadband provides channels for sharing information, learning new skills for career advancement, and completing basic job functions in a number of professions.

It is imperative that U.S. businesses have access to skilled workers in order to grow and thrive.

Standing on stage this past Friday, inventors from colleges and universities across the country were recognized for their work developing cutting-edge inventions, at the 2016 Collegiate Inventors Competition (CIC) at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Alexandria, VA.

As a professor of engineering, I see a big gap between university research and industry.  One way to bridge this gap is to educate researchers about the importance of intellectual property (IP) in moving their ideas to industry.  About three years ago, I had a student who developed an app for deterring break-ins by text message. It was a fantastic idea.

The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a resource that will help U.S. employers more effectively identify, recruit, develop and maintain cybersecurity talent.

Smaller than the size of a fingernail, semiconductors drive the digital economy and have put the whole of human knowledge at our fingertips. Over the last half century, they have become one of the world’s most important technologies and the basis of America’s most critical industries. Today, the U.S.

As I reflect on my term as co-chair of the National Advisory Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (NACIE), I must first thank Secretary Penny Pritzker for providing me the opportunity to serve, for listening to our ideas, and for challenging NACIE to imagine how we can increase innovation and entrepreneurship in the United States.

As “America’s data agency,” the Department of Commerce collects, processes, and disseminates approximately 36% of federal open data. That data fuels planning, research and operations that support society and the economy. Commerce is continuously working to improve its delivery of services. To help advance the Department's open data efforts, U.S.

As October winds down, I say farewell to Manufacturing Day and what has turned into a celebration of manufacturing and innovation this entire month. Over the last few weeks, I have had the privilege of participating in events in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Tennessee to raise awareness about the importance of U.S. manufacturing and the critical role it plays in our economy.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) today announced nearly $28 million in investments to grow the economy in the nation’s coal-impacted communities.

Since taking office, protecting and growing our country’s critical manufacturing sector has been a key focus of the Obama administration. Early on, there was doubt if the U.S. manufacturing sector would ever begin to grow again.

In conjunction with Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker delivered the keynote address at the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSCD) Conference.

Last week, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce Andrews traveled to Beijing and Chongqing, China, for a health care business development mission. Deputy Secretary Andrews led the mission, and was joined by Acting Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Mary Wakefield and representatives from 12 U.S. companies.

Innovation comes in all shapes and forms, and every October the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) uses social media as a fun and timely way to educate the public about the importance of intellectual property (IP) and how it impacts their everyday lives. Halloween is crawling with countless examples of intellectual property.

It all starts with an idea. Sometimes it can be as simple as a “what-if” lodged in the back of our minds that can spark the next great invention. A simple idea, when coupled with ingenuity and opportunity, can transform the world we live in for the better. That’s the awesome power of innovation.

Seaports are crucial multipliers and facilitators of national and regional trade and economic growth. Inefficiencies in the operation of our ports can impose a major cost on the U.S. economy and make America less competitive in the global market.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker sat down with Tim O’Reilly, Founder and CEO of O’Reilly Media at the Next Economy Summit in San Francisco to discuss the Department’s efforts to strengthen the digital economy and to improve the collection and dissemination of its troves of data.

Digital technologies have quickly become a driving force of entrepreneurship and innovation in the 21st century. They have changed the way people live, work, and communicate; and how businesses access markets, manage supply-chains, and enable transactions.

On Friday, October 14, U.S.

In this fast-paced, uber-connected, technology-engrossing bubble that is Washington, D.C., few of us truly have the time to sit quietly, focus and reflect.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker celebrated Manufacturing Day, a growing grassroots movement started by the Department of Commerce to engage students and inform educators about the career potential that exists in modern manufacturing.

While touring five different manufacturing plants in greater Dayton, Ohio, last Friday on Manufacturing Day, I kept hearing the same response to my question of what a plant owner’s most pressing challenge is: “The only thing impeding our growth is a sufficient number of workers,” as Noble Tool President Jim Zahora said.