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Boston Business Journal - by Jackie Noblett Journal staff
As Gov. Deval Patrick's administration travels the state and the world to promote its burgeoning biotechnology and clean technology clusters, leaders in other technologies are wondering if there is any energy left to promote their industries.
Those inside say they worry that advances in their fields and potential opportunities for economic development may be missed if the state does not broaden its purview. And while they acknowledge that the state has the right to set its priorities, critics say they want a strong advocate in the community for all technologies.
While high technology, software and communications technology have long permeated the area's innovation economy, some leaders question whether that familiarity is actually a disadvantage.
"Biotech and clean tech are looked at as the future, and communications is looked at as a mature industry," said Mark Horan, executive director of the Massachusetts Network Communications Council. "There is no reason to believe that."
Some in the sectors left out of the governor's focus say they don't understand why so much money is being spent to promote a relatively small sector.
The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council estimates there are about 43,000 people employed in the biotech sector. That compares with 85,000 people employed in the state's defense industry, over 100,000 in the telecommunications and networking industry and almost 119,000 employed in state software companies.
Horan and others are concerned that if the state does not actively promote all technological opportunities, future jobs and capital will leak out to other states. Indeed, states like North Carolina, Maryland and Texas have already joined California as areas aggressively courting high tech, defense, and communications companies, using public officials in their push.
The state is also in hot competition with Maryland and Louisiana for a new cyberspace command center that could bring hundreds of research jobs to Hanscom Air Force Base. Insiders say Hanscom would be a natural fit, but will lose out if elected officials do not push for it.
"It's a case for why targeted tax incentives should be broadly applied," said Christopher Anderson, president of the Massachusetts High Technology Council.
The concerns have trickled down to company executives, who are worried about new companies foregoing the state and local shops leaving for Silicon Valley .
"I worry that we will lose critical mass and no longer be engaged in cutting edge technologies (in Massachusetts)," said Andy Ory, CEO of Acme Packet, a Burlington network infrastructure company. "It's getting a bit thinner in telecommunications technology."
Ory suggested that state could do more to support the R&D capabilities of networking and other technologies with tax credits, as well as identify and attract engineering talent to the area.
For a relatively new industry group like the Massachusetts Defense Technology Initiative, having the backing of state leaders is key to its success. The group is trying to build a cohesive defense cluster that pools its power to attract contracts and businesses to the state and keep what is here from leaving.
"The most important thing we're arguing for is the creation for an established, recurring forum to bring together businesses, academic institutions, the military and elected officials to identify, prioritize and act upon opportunities for the growth of the defense sector,"
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