Wilmington and the Silicon Valley are rarely mentioned in the same breath.
But a report from the technology policy coalition Engine and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation ranked the Wilmington area as No. 24 among 25 metro areas growing faster than the national average when it comes to tech start-ups.
With a “1” being the national average. the Wilmington area posted a 1.6 figure. In 1990, Wilmington had a .9 ranking. The Dover area came in at the national average, a big jump from the .2 figure in 1990.
The list includes mainstays, such as Boulder, Colo. (No. 1); and the Silicon Valley itself. (No. 2). The well known, tech sector in Cambridge, Mass ranks fourth. Not on the top 25 list was the Philadelphia area, despite the “Route 202 corridor,” and a large number of technology companies. In the region, the Washington, D.C. area ranks eighth, with the Bethesda, Md. area coming in at 21st.
The leader in start-ups, by a wide margin, is Boulder, the home of the University of Colorado and a city known for its outdoor attractions.
The Wilmington, Del. ended up just ahead of Ames, Iowa, home of Iowa State University and its college of agriculture. Another small town hot spot is Missoula, home of the University of Montana.
The report seems to offer more evidence that the northern Delaware economy does have a vibrant technology sector, despite opinions to the contrary.
A collaborative environment and a strong higher education community, often seen in technology area, is in evidence in the Newark area and extending into Wilmington.
Despite the flight of jobs from AstraZeneca, Wilmington area drug maker Incyte Corp. has been growing rapidly with a successful new drug aimed at treating a form of blood cancer.
A number of other start-ups and fast-growing companies have set up shop in the area, many serving the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry.
The University of Delaware is building the STAR campus at the site of the former Chrysler plant and manages the Delaware Technology Park. The Technology Park has helped in the creation of 16,000 jobs and led to hundreds of millions of dollars of investments in research and other areas, according to information on its website.
Also, the Delaware Bioscience Association has seen sellouts of industry breakfasts and other events, with representatives of start-ups in attendance. The events feature presentations on growing areas in life sciences and biotech areas.
“Creating a welcoming environment for startup businesses is a key element in our comprehensive strategy to grow the economy and create jobs. This report affirms that, in one of the fastest growing industries,” Delaware Gov. Jack Markell said after taking note of the ranking on his Facebook page. “Delaware is home to one of the best hubs for new companies to go into business. We also want to help any industry bring more high quality jobs here and we know that many of the same factors that would attract tech startups to Wilmington are important across a range of industries and throughout the state. They need access to capital, mentors and other resources. We’re committed to expanding our statewide initiatives to promote entrepreneurship to help turn great ideas into successful companies.”
Click here for the link to the full report.
