In the last part of the 20th century, California created the high-tech and biotechnology innovations that formed the backbone of today's "New Economy." As we begin the 21st century, the state of California, the University of California and hundreds of the state's leading-edge businesses have joined together in an unprecedented partnership to lay the foundation for the "next New Economy."

The Governor Gray Davis Institutes for Science and Innovation – now named for the former governor in recognition of his instrumental role in their creation – include:

Taken together, these four institutes represent a billion-dollar, multidisciplinary effort that focuses public/private resources and expertise simultaneously on research areas critical to sustaining California's economic growth and its competitiveness in the global marketplace.

The new ideas and technologies developed by researchers at the institutes help expand our economy into new industries and markets - and bring the benefits of innovation more quickly into the lives of people everywhere. These institutes open the doors to new understanding, new applications and new products through essential research in biomedicine, bioengineering, nanosystems, telecommunications and information technology.