(a)  While large enterprises have the expert personnel and financial resources to make strategic investments in innovation, few small businesses have the resources to do so. The resulting underinvestment in innovation stunts the growth of Rhode Island’s economy, inhibits the potential of small businesses and impedes local universities and other technological resources from providing technological input and other developmental assistance to such small businesses. It is the intention of the general assembly to foster innovation in small businesses and increase demand for technological services by creating an innovation initiative. This initiative will further advance the competitiveness of Rhode Island’s companies in the national and global economies and result in the creation and/or retention of jobs and tax revenues for the state.