An aquaculture company has allowed commercial fishermen to stay in Hawai'i and earn two or three times more than they did a couple of years ago.

A digital imaging company is going into economically challenged Hawaiian Homestead communities and training residents for technical jobs, regardless of the person's educational background.

An optics company on the Big Island is giving bright graduates the chance to stay in Hawai'i instead of having to seek better-paying jobs out of state.

Democratic leaders in the state House of Representatives hope their proposed $100 million "innovation fund" will allow for the creation of more opportunities like these by funding research and development projects that will create good-paying jobs and improve the quality of life for Hawai'i residents with new cures for illnesses and diseases.

"We will become the life sciences center of the Pacific," said House Majority Leader Marcus Oshiro, D-39th (Wahiawa), in his opening-day address before the House of Representatives yesterday.

House Speaker Calvin Say proposed the innovation fund to stimulate economic development in fields such as life science, community healthcare, digital media, advanced technology, ocean sciences, telecommunications and alternative energy. The fund would provide grants and business and marketing assistance to companies that would create industries and careers that pay a living wage.

"It could create more jobs outside of the service industry," said Say, D-20th (St. Louis Heights, Palolo, Wilhelmina Rise).

The obstacle will be getting it past the Senate, which agrees with the concept of stimulating research and development, but not necessarily dedicating $100 million to the fund.

Senate President Robert Bunda, D-22nd (North Shore, Wahiawa), expressed support for biotechnology and other life-science related companies in his speech.

"There is no better investment in our future than support for the ongoing research and development at the John A. Burns School of Medicine and the Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i," Bunda said.

Diversifying the economy by attracting more businesses in the technology sector has been a frequent refrain at the Capitol for years and has had some degree of success.

According to Mike Fitzgerald of the nonprofit Enterprise Honolulu, the number of companies has grown to 1,500. Collectively the companies employ about 30,000 people with $3.5 billion in revenue a year, he said.

And, Fitzgerald said, many tend to prefer homegrown employees.

Randy Cates, whose aquaculture company raises moi in submerged cages offshore for export across the country, said people who come from Hawai'i are less likely to leave the company than those who move here for the job because "they know the deal here."

Cates said he'd like to see more opportunities for Hawai'i residents trained in aquaculture, otherwise, "they leave and go elsewhere."

For commercial fishermen who can't find jobs in the state, Cates' company offers a way to use their knowledge and skills in Hawai'i. "They can stay in that field and they don't need to go into construction," he said. Fishermen earning between $20,000 and $30,000 a couple of years ago are earning $60,000 to $70,000 now, he said.

Myron Thompson and Robin Danner of Hawaiian Homestead Technology go to where the potential employees live and provide on-the-job training themselves. They have hired 21 people and plan to bring in 11 more.

Thompson said it has been heart-wrenching to see someone come in for his first interview wearing shorts, T-shirt and slippers. But three months later he has been able to see that same person able to do highly technical work, such as digitizing the manual for an Apache helicopter.

While many tech companies are looking for the best and brightest college graduates, Hawaiian Homestead Technology hires don't need degrees in engineering or any other field because their training is narrowly focused, then broadened as they pick up skills, Thompson said.

The company has seen low turnover, in part because of hands-on training that leads right into a job.

"We don't lose them," Danner said.

Richard DeVerse, director of instrument research for Plain Sight Systems on the Big Island, said expanding the tech industry is a good way to keep talented Hawai'i graduates in the state.

"They produce, they're happy and they're amazingly productive," he said.

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.