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4/4/11 - Putting Maine on a Course for Innovation Success

Putting Maine on a Course for Innovation Success

Today, Maine not only competes with New Hampshire and New Brunswick but also with Brazil, India, Sweden and others.  Countries like these across the world are investing at unprecedented rates in research, the education of scientific and technical workers and the development of new industries and markets.

Every year, the State of Maine contracts with an independent evaluation team that conducts a survey of entrepreneurs and companies in Maine who receive support from the Maine Technology Institute’s programs as well as the University of Maine’s Maine Economic Improvement Fund, Maine’s technology incubators, the Patent Program, Small Enterprise Growth Fund, and bonds dedicated to research, development and commercialization.  Together, these programs help fuel Maine’s innovation economy. The evaluation helps chart a course toward the goal of ensuring the growth of good jobs for Maine people, strong contributions to Maine’s local economy and Maine’s competitiveness in the global economy

This year’s evaluation findings revealed bright spots including 8th grade above average performance in math and science, an increase in nonprofit research institutions licensing research for commercialization, a slight increase in venture capital investment and in the percent of scientists and engineers in the workforce and a ranking of 21st in the country for business start-ups. There are a number of challenges we continue to face however, including translating early academic achievement into higher ed scientific and technical degrees, capturing higher levels of federal funding to commercialize research and promoting Maine’s innovation industries as part of an overall economic development strategy. (The full reports can be found at the Department of Economic and Community Development website).

Like a sailor, Maine can’t change the direction of the wind, but we can trim our sails to help us to reach our destination.   This annual evaluation can help Maine to get the best results for every dollar that we invest in growing our innovation economy.  The recommendations in this year’s evaluation reports focus on how to accelerate the creation of businesses and jobs in high-growth industries in Maine, including:

-          Growing existing innovation-based companies, by helping them expand their markets outside of Maine and developing Maine’s reputation as a “Go-To” location for industry where we have assets that set Maine apart,

-          Accelerating the growth of our early stage companies by connecting them with funding that is linked with entrepreneurial support and with networks that help them to succeed, and

-          Boosting industry R&D and competitiveness by increasing access of Maine companies to Federal R&D funding and expanding technology transfer from Maine’s universities and nonprofit institutions to the commercial sector.

These recommendations are consistent with MTI’s strategic plan, and we have already begun tacking to this course.  We look forward to working with industry, with our funding partners across the state and with Maine’s legislators to grow and strengthen Maine’s innovation economy so that future evaluations show good progress toward the destination of quality jobs and business growth through the state.

Betsy Biemann, President




This year’s R&D Evaluation includes the following bright spots:

■  Maine students are performing above average in 8th grade math and science scores

■  Maine’s nonprofit research institutions have experienced a sharp increase in licensing research for commercialization

■   Maine has seen slight increases in venture capital and the percent of scientists and engineers in the workforce

■  Maine ranks 21st for business formation; but 40th for fast-growing firms

As well as some continuing challenges to address:

■  The early achievements of 8th graders  does not translate into scientific and technical higher ed degrees, critical for innovation-based industries

■  Maine companies are not creating new products and services at the same rate as competitor regions

■  Maine is not capturing the levels of federal funding that it could to commercialize research

■  Little is being done to promote Maine’s innovation industries as part of an overall economic development strategy

■  Maine’s exports per GSP is half the US average.

 To read the Full evaluation, click here.  

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