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March 14. 2013 8:07PM
Alongside abi Innovation Hub Chief Executive Officer James Coughlin, Gov. Maggie Hassan speaks at an event to promote abi Innovation Hub's "Live Free and Start" initiative Thursday morning. (JOSH GIBNEY/UNION LEADER)
MANCHESTER - Gov. Maggie Hassan rubbed shoulders with techies and entrepreneurs Thursday when she visited a downtown business incubator and tried to gin up support for her state budget and pro-growth policies.
Tenants of abi Innovation Hub and economic-development officials were on hand to share coffee and small talk with Hassan.
At one point during a speech, she encouraged them to contact their state representatives to voice support for her budget.
She said provisions of the budget would double funding for the research-and-development tax credit, expand international trade efforts and restore cuts to higher education.
"We need to make sure we're preparing the workforce you need today, the workforce you'll need tomorrow," Hassan said.
The visit was billed as an effort to promote the "Live Free and Start" initiative at abi, which provides space, mentoring and sometimes venture capital for start-up businesses.
Speakers used the word ecosystem to describe the benefits of bringing entrepreneurs and tech-savy people together to start and nurture businesses.
The Elm Street location, at the former Chair Gallery, offers start-ups a desk space, open area and proximity to 30 fellow entrepreneurs.
"The fact she's coming here shows she has a firm commitment to making this ecosystem grow," said Gerard Murphy, co-founder of Mosaic, which provides cloud storage for photographers. Murphy and his company took advantage of the research-and-development tax credit.
And Mosaic recently raised $875,000 in a preferred stock offering.
Murphy said his company also just hired its first employee, a software developer. He said few New Hampshire college graduates have such degrees, and those who do are hired before they graduate. So he went to Massachusetts to fill the job, which he said pays more than $100,000.
"What we have to do is, we have to sell them on our company, and then sell them on New Hampshire," he said.
Hassan said her proposed budget restores all the cuts made two years ago to the community college system and most of the cuts to the state university system.
She said legislation to double tax credit funding to $2 million could arrive at her desk as early as Wednesday afternoon. The expansion passed the House with bipartisan support Wednesday but still needed a final vote in the Senate before landing on Hassan's desk.
"We look to that to provide that last little bit of help to businesses that are on the cusp of something new," she said.
Governor visits Queen City entrepreneurial hub, looks for support for budget
Alongside abi Innovation Hub Chief Executive Officer James Coughlin, Gov. Maggie Hassan speaks at an event to promote abi Innovation Hub's "Live Free and Start" initiative Thursday morning. (JOSH GIBNEY/UNION LEADER)
Tenants of abi Innovation Hub and economic-development officials were on hand to share coffee and small talk with Hassan.
At one point during a speech, she encouraged them to contact their state representatives to voice support for her budget.
She said provisions of the budget would double funding for the research-and-development tax credit, expand international trade efforts and restore cuts to higher education.
"We need to make sure we're preparing the workforce you need today, the workforce you'll need tomorrow," Hassan said.
The visit was billed as an effort to promote the "Live Free and Start" initiative at abi, which provides space, mentoring and sometimes venture capital for start-up businesses.
Speakers used the word ecosystem to describe the benefits of bringing entrepreneurs and tech-savy people together to start and nurture businesses.
The Elm Street location, at the former Chair Gallery, offers start-ups a desk space, open area and proximity to 30 fellow entrepreneurs.
"The fact she's coming here shows she has a firm commitment to making this ecosystem grow," said Gerard Murphy, co-founder of Mosaic, which provides cloud storage for photographers. Murphy and his company took advantage of the research-and-development tax credit.
And Mosaic recently raised $875,000 in a preferred stock offering.
Murphy said his company also just hired its first employee, a software developer. He said few New Hampshire college graduates have such degrees, and those who do are hired before they graduate. So he went to Massachusetts to fill the job, which he said pays more than $100,000.
"What we have to do is, we have to sell them on our company, and then sell them on New Hampshire," he said.
Hassan said her proposed budget restores all the cuts made two years ago to the community college system and most of the cuts to the state university system.
She said legislation to double tax credit funding to $2 million could arrive at her desk as early as Wednesday afternoon. The expansion passed the House with bipartisan support Wednesday but still needed a final vote in the Senate before landing on Hassan's desk.
"We look to that to provide that last little bit of help to businesses that are on the cusp of something new," she said.
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