"Economic development efforts have long been a keystone in the quest to bolster the economy and improve quality of life in every locality across the country," said Robin Roberts Krieger, chair of the International Economic Development Councilvat their recent annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia.  "As the nation continues to tackle longstanding challenges in the midst of an inhospitable financial climate, these efforts have taken on an even greater significance.

With that in mind, it was even more significant when the Southside Bethlehem Keystone Innovation Zone was selected to receive the top award for Partnerships with Educational Institutions by organizations serving areas with populations between 50,000 and 200,000.  The KIZ competed with over 400 entries in 25 separate categories and emerged with the top award.

The mission of the zone is to foster a "Knowledge Neighborhood" that enhances the urban environment of innovation and entrepreneurship. Consisting of 14 partner organizations, the zone has funded over $450,000 in Technology Transfer grants to 24 new startup companies, leveraging over $11,000,000 in total investment.

This is significant because partnerships that work to expand the business base are more important now than ever before.  The future of the Lehigh Valley, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the entire country as a whole will have to pull together to foster new businesses that challenge the accepted models we currently are struggling to deal with.