Universities around the world are now in conversation with University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee about research partnerships, while the National Science Foundation has awarded UW-M and Marquette USD 675 000 for research on seven different projects over the next five years. The Council helped arrange another USD 1.5 million in private sector donations to supplement that amount. While local research institutions do engage in research that benefits local green firms, venture capital for industrial/energy start-ups is still largely focused on the coasts. Total regional employment in the R&D sector declined by roughly 40% between 2000 and 2009 (CMAP, 2010a). Investments in the industrial/energy sector in Illinois are significantly lower than in the Silicon Valley of California, particularly in the past several years as venture capital levels have rebounded (PWC/NVCA, 2011) (Figure 3.1). Between 1995 and 2011, the industrial/energy sector in Silicon Valley attracted an average of 13 deals/year, compared to 3.6 deals/year in Illinois.