Opportunity not to Miss. There’s a lot of conversation around how vibrant some of our tech sectors are, from how big is our cyber sector, to how does our biotech sector stand up against other regions, to how many ed-tech companies operate here. As a result, there are a number of initiatives being launched to “map” these and other sectors, to give Maryland a sense of how we’re doing. But if all these efforts do is count companies and their employees, it will be a missed opportunity. The question really should be – to what end are we surveying our tech sectors?

Mapping with the End in Mind. There are a lot of valid reasons to measure attributes of our tech sectors, the challenge is deciding what insight one wants as companies are contacted. Rather than build a composite picture of companies, it’s critical to understand what drives the health and vibrancy of that company’s related industry cluster and what constrains it. Why? Industry clusters form the backbone, the foundation of regional economies. We need to see these clusters as the drivers of our economy and not some collection of similarly focused firms. Those regions which get their industry cluster strategy right have done so by identifying and then focusing on what the key drivers are to ensure their success. It is by understanding the criticality of clusters and focusing on what drives their success that should serve as the core for any surveying exercise.

What drives each Cluster. Figuring out what questions to ask to understand a cluster is challenging. One has to move past “what are your biggest challenges” to discerning what are the processes and drivers that are making each cluster succeed or struggle – they include a mix of such factors as available technical expertise (not only in terms of skilled labor but also research partners), effectiveness of organizations supporting that cluster, relevancy of suppliers, and predictable government and infrastructure support. These questions require moving past a company’s internal perspective to understanding the interrelationship within the broader ecosystem that supports its cluster.

Making Insight Actionable. Thoughtful, probative questioning, not only of the companies within each cluster but also of those organizations professing to support them, should gain insight not only on what is driving competitive advantage for a cluster but, more importantly, where heightened focus should be directed. The key to any survey should not be to either defend a celebratory view or reinforce a cautionary note; it should serve as an actionable plan to what our region needs to do to increase the competitive advantage for key industry clusters. It would be a missed opportunity to simply map a sector to prove some point.

With more than 30years’ experience in law and business, Newt Fowler, a partner in Womble Carlyle’s business practice advises many investors, entrepreneurs and technology companies, guiding them through all aspects of business planning, financing transactions, technology commercialization and M&A. He chairs the Board of TEDCO and serves on the Board of the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore. Newt can be reached at nfowler@wcsr.com.