Connecticut has moved up from ninth to sixth in the rankings for the Milken Institute’s State Technology and Science Index 2016 — it’s highest ranking in the history of the index.
Massachusetts held onto first place, followed by Colorado, previously ranked fourth, and Maryland, previously ranked second.
The states of California, Washington, Minnesota, Utah, Virginia and Delaware round out the top 10, said the institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank.
The index tracks and evaluates each state’s tech and science capabilities and its success at converting assets into companies and high-paying jobs. Conducted every two years, the index has scored Massachusetts first in every edition since it was launched in 2002.
“This edition marks the first State Tech and Science Index to evaluate which states were able to meaningfully create a high-tech sector during the recovery from the Great Recession,” said Minoli Ratnatunga, associate director for regional research and a co-author of the report. “The high-tech sector has clearly expanded its geographic footprint beyond its traditional hubs.”
Connecticut’s rise is based on performance in related indices. The state’s technology concentration and dynamism index ranking jumped from 21st to 10th.
Connecticut also moved up from 10th to eighth in the research and development inputs index; from 14th to 11th in the risk capital and entrepreneurial infrastructure index; stayed steady at third place in the human capital investment index; and climbed from 16th to 10th in the technology and science workforce index.
“The major changes for Connecticut came from the risk capital and entrepreneurial infrastructure and the technology concentration and dynamism indices, which … can be attributed to the continuing development of the high-tech sector,” the report said.
