TROY ? A new report from Automation Alley contends Michigan is among the leaders in technology innovation in the nation with Metro Detroit and Grand Rapids ranking as two of the nation’s top technology centers.
Automation Alley?s 2011 Technology Industry Report was done by the Anderson Economic Group, a business consulting firm based in East Lansing. Anderson researched the size and scope of the region?s technology sector, including the number of technology companies and technology workers in the region, emerging industries, existing technology clusters and opportunities for technology growth.
Findings include:
? Southeast Michigan has the highest concentration of technology sector employment among the analyzed Midwest regions, with the second highest concentration being in Grand Rapids and third in Minneapolis.
? Southeast Michigan is second only to San Jose?s Silicon Valley region in the number of people working in architectural and engineering occupations, and has the highest concentration of architectural and engineering employment in the Midwest.
? Despite negative media coverage that has pinned metropolitan Detroit as a declining region, Southeast Michigan is positioned ahead of Boston, Seattle and Austin in almost every measure analyzed.
? Southeast Michigan?s universities are the source of ideas and knowledge that will drive the Next Economy?s innovative and skilled workforce, as evidenced by emerging academic programs, research centers, and partnerships between industries and educational institutions.
? Southeast Michigan had the third largest number of computer and mathematical sciences occupation jobs in the Midwest, with 55,740 jobs. The region ranks behind Chicago and Minneapolis, with 116,820 and 68,380 jobs, respectively.
? Southeast Michigan has the highest number of advanced automotive industry jobs, accounting for 9.3 percent of all advanced automotive jobs in the U.S.
? Southeast Michigan is prepared for the transition from the New Economy, which was marked by a shift from an industrial base to a knowledge base, to the Next Economy, marked by a shift from consumption to innovation base.
? Southeast Michigan?s military defense installations and firms are contributing to the growth of the technology sector. They provide a strong customer base for local businesses, helping to spur innovative start-ups, attract large defense contractors and fund research programs.
? Emerging opportunities in Southeast Michigan can be seen in the areas of advanced manufacturing, simulation engineering and alternative energy.
? Southeast Michigan ranks third in the Midwest for number of life science jobs, after Chicago and Minneapolis, with 23,119 jobs. Life Sciences technology includes pharmaceutical and medical equipment manufacturing, as well as scientific research and development businesses.
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