Laboratory Pittsburgh

The Post-Gazette features a story today on local innovation GTECH Strategies. GTECH is a good example of how Pittsburgh can get a return on its investment in geographically mobile intellectual capital:

GTECH -- Growth Through Energy and Community Health -- is a pilot-stage Carnegie Mellon University spin-off conceived by three recent graduates of the H. John Heinz School of Public Policy. The principals -- Andrew Butcher, Matthew Ciccone and Chris Koch -- are joined by principal and consultant Nathaniel Doyno, head of Steel City Biofuels, which brokers deals between makers and users of biofuels.

While the start-up is a great byproduct of CMU's program, at some point the venture might be better served in another region. However, the value proposition is decidedly local. GTECH is eyeing the region's brownfield sites as a source of biofuels.

CMU and Pitt would do well to solve regional problems, putting the intellectual capital cycling through to good use. Make Pittsburgh the opportunity landscape that the students explore. At the very least, encourage students to search their surroundings for inspiration.