IMPROVE MAINE'S BUSINESS CLIMATE FOR THE SOFTWARE & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
MESDA will continue to improve networking opportunities by hosting regional breakfast meetings, training sessions, executive roundtables and other forums for members in which to meet and discuss solutions to problems facing our industry. We will provide a forum for interaction with government agencies and regulatory boards to improve their understanding of the needs of the software industry and promote the streamlining of regulatory procedures. MESDA will work to improve access to capital and to educate our members on the resources available. We will educate the financial community on the value of investing in this industry including appreciating the worth of intellectual property. MESDA will work with other groups to improve tax credits and other incentives, and to facilitate the use of those credits by our industry. We will promote and assist the development of clustering/incubator programs in Maine. MESDA will serve as a central source of industry information as well as a resource for members, helping them to access local, state and national programs that can assist their growth.

EDUCATE MAINE ON THE NEED FOR A FIRST RATE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE SOFTWARE & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
MESDA will stress the need for state wide access to a first rate telecommunications infrastructure by clearly defining what is required for our industry and presenting this to the PUC, legislative committees, State Planning Office, vendors and other telecommunications decision makers. MESDA will partner with business groups working on this issue and make members available to participate in the activities of various committees and boards. The increasing complexity of today's software, the graphic nature of the data and the need to share work in a virtual office environment makes access to high speed and affordable telecommunications critical to our industry.

DEVELOP A HIGHLY-SKILLED WORK FORCE FOR THE SOFTWARE & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
MESDA will work with Maine's educational institutions to ensure that programs meet the needs of the software industry by establishing advisory committees. MESDA will seek to provide opportunities for continuing education by offering short courses and seminars where established programs do not exist. We will work with other organizations to assure that programs are available if the industry need exists. MESDA will use its Web site and job fairs to help bring skilled individuals and employers together. MESDA will maintain a centralized internship/coop program database to facilitate Maine students working with Maine businesses. MESDA will work with the entire range of educational institutions ranging from K-12 through graduate schools. Maine's software & IT industry is faced with the problem of keeping and attracting good, skilled workers, and in keeping its workforce current in the face of endless change. For this reason, MESDA will devote a significant portion of its time to make sure that Maine's educational house is in order.

STRESS THE NEED FOR INCREASED INVESTMENT IN SOFTWARE & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
MESDA will provide opportunities for its members to learn about tax credits and other incentives to stimulate software & IT related R&D. MESDA will work with governmental and research organizations to improve the climate for industry related research and development. MESDA will seek to publicize those software companies that are doing cutting edge work in Computer Science. Many successful R&D business clusters across the country are located near universities with strong computer science programs. For example, Route 128 is near MIT and Harvard, Silicon Valley is near Stanford and Berkeley, Research Triangle is near Duke, the University of North Carolina and N.C. State, and Austin is near the University of Texas. Maine should follow these examples to ensure that its economy is positioned to compete successfully in the 21st century.

IMPROVE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF MAINE'S SOFTWARE & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
MESDA will pro-actively engage the media to raise awareness about its goals and the software industry. MESDA will help make its members available to speak at various public events. MESDA will educate the public and media about the nature and the potential of the software industry. MESDA will participate in the programs of the regional and national information technology organizations. The software industry receives much publicity, but the public and legislators often do not understand the nature of the software industry and its needs and challenges. The survival and growth of Maine's software industry depends critically on making the public aware of these needs and challenges.