The Technology Road Map Study

During the second half of 2003 through early 2004, Mass Insight conducted the Massachusetts Technology Road Map and Strategic Alliances Study in collaboration with Battelle Memorial Institute’s Technology Partnership Practice. This groundbreaking study, published in spring 2004 under the title Choosing to Lead: The Race for National R&D Leadership and New Economy Jobs, is an audit of existing research competencies across public and private institutions and industry, accompanied by a benchmark against other states, and recommendations for ensuring Massachusetts’ continued competitiveness in both research and development (R&D) and downstream economic impact.

The Massachusetts Technology Road Map study was overseen by an Executive Advisory Committee of senior private sector technology leaders and was shaped by a work group of private and public university professionals and association staff (see list at right).

Central to the recommendations of the report is the role of R&D Strategic Alliances among the public and private universities, teaching hospitals, industry and government in Massachusetts and New England. The report identified nine opportunities for flagship R&D centers focused on emerging technologies in which Massachusetts is positioned to take a leadership role in research, development, commercialization and enterprise formation, expanding the impact of research on economic growth across the regions of the state.

Implementing the Study: Developing Flagship R&D Projects

Implementation of the Science & Technology Initiative's Road Map Study focuses on:

1) promoting R&D Strategic Alliances among public and private universities, teaching hospitals, government and industry in Massachusetts and New England, and

2) establishing and building support for flagship R&D projects which will sustain the region's international research leadership and have a significant impact on economic growth. Projects on this scale — $50 million and up — have a direct economic impact, but the Road Map's ultimate objective is the leveraged impact to the economy from new products, services, jobs and companies.

Beginning with four of the Strategic Alliance opportunities identified in the Road Map report, Mass Insight brought together industry-led project work groups representing institutions across the public and private sectors to explore possible large-scale projects where multi-institutional, cross-sector collaboration could create value that no single institution or sector could on its own.

The four opportunities selected were:

• Ocean Science and Technology
• Life Sciences — Drug Development
• Homeland Security
• Nanotechnology

Background Documents:

Flagship R&D Projects for Economic Development: Overview [pdf]

For more information on the Massachusetts Technology Road Map, email scitech@massinsight.com.

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