Category: Data
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Lansing, Minneapolis top metros for health device deal concentration
A new analysis by Excel Regional Solutions studies venture capital investment into companies working in healthcare device and supply, a sector that has seen nearly $42 billion in investment over the past five years. From 2021-2025, the metros with the greatest relative concentration contain a mix of regions known for life sciences research, the U.S.…
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Clusters feature prominently in local strategies
More than six in seven local economic development districts are pursuing at least one industry cluster goal, according to an analysis of recent Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS). These strategies cover sectors ranging from advanced manufacturing to tourism and leverage tactics as diverse as business recruitment, technology development, and workforce training. The prevalence of sector-specific…
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New index reveals unexpected state SBIR winners
Billions in federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funds are awarded each year to translate new ideas into commercial products—but not all states capitalize on the opportunity. Excel’s SBIR State Performance Index offers a new lens to assess and compare how well each region converts research, firms, and employment into SBIR awards, and then use…
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High-tech boom: Metro regions that outpaced America’s 229% growth (and the ones that fell behind)
High technology sectors are valuable to local economies because of their disproportionate effects on private sector output and patent production—with the latter benefit particularly strong in regions with high concentrations of these firms. Recent data from the Census Bureau provides counts of high tech and all firms by metropolitan statical areas (MSAs) for more than…