News Release

The index shows that Maryland has a highly educated workforce, its universities are among the nation's best in science and engineering and Maryland is one of the most research and development-intensive states in the country. More federally-sponsored research and development is performed here than in any other state in the country.

"This is really a picture of opportunity," said Theodore Poehler, (pictured at right) vice provost for research at The Johns Hopkins University and a co-chair of the MTA. "Maryland already has a robust high technology economy, but the potential is there for tremendous growth in the future."

The Maryland Technology Alliance is an affiliation of leaders from universities, government and the private sector which aims to foster innovation and commercialization of new technologies to create jobs and economic development for Maryland. The group commissioned the technology index report and modeled it after similar reports done in California and Massachusetts.

"This affords a real opportunity to capitalize on the so-called 'Federal Presence,' to the benefit of both federal and state high tech strategic interests in technology transfer, commercialization and economic development," said Bill Tumulty, co-chair of MTA and manager for external alliances and strategic partnerships at the Goddard Space Flight Center. "The timing couldn't be better, given the rapid progress of the recently chartered Maryland Science Engineering and Technology Development Corporation."

"We hope to use this information as a benchmark to move forward," Poehler said. "And we plan to do follow-up reports in the future to measure Maryland's progress." In terms of performance, the manufacture of high technology goods and services is growing in Maryland, as is employment in high technology fields, especially communications, which employs more than 100,000 Marylanders. Wage growth in Maryland high technology also outpaces the state average for all industries.. Maryland is also strong in the creation of new high technology companies, and the state's competitiveness in initial public stock offerings has increased in the past year.

While Maryland is doing well, there is room for improvement, especially in areas such as turning research discoveries into commercial products and in exporting technology goods and services overseas.

The index is an important tool for keeping the state competitive, said Richard C. Mike Lewin, secretary for the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED).

"Maryland currently has 6,500 technology companies and is recognized nationally for our pro-technology environment, especially in research and development," said Lewin. "The index shows us exactly where to target future resources to strengthen our technology sectors across the board."

David Weiss, State Technology Coordinator for DBED, funded the report which was prepared by Marsha R. B. Schachtel, a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins University's Institute for Policy Studies. It compares Maryland with Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina and measures three areas: technology potential, dynamics of developing technology and actual economic performance. The Maryland Technology Alliance includes representatives of the following organizations: Army Research Laboratory; Greater Baltimore Technology Council; High Technology Council of Maryland; The Johns Hopkins University; Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development; Maryland Economic and Development Commission; Maryland Office of the Governor; Morgan State University; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Institute of Standards and Technology; National Institutes of Health; National Security Agency; Naval Air Systems Command; University System of Maryland; University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland, Baltimore; and University of Maryland, Baltimore County.