Delaware is known worldwide for innovation. Technological advances occur in each of Delaware’s key industries and span a variety of markets, including pharmaceuticals, industrial and agricultural chemicals, medical devices, computer services and more, according to the Delaware Prosperity Partnership.
The state is especially well-regarded for its global leadership in chemical innovation.Delaware has the nation’s deepest heritage of scientific innovation, dating back more than two centuries to the founding of the DuPont Company on the banks of the Brandywine River. And the state sits at the center of the most dynamic region and talent market in the world for the life sciences.
“Delaware is fortunate to have a thriving life science community, with breadth and depth and unique expertise, spanning publicly traded companies, mid-sized growth businesses, startups, public-private partnerships and nonprofit health systems,” says Michael Fleming, president of the Delaware BioScience Association. “Our robust advanced-manufacturing sector and other natural advantages and capabilities make Delaware and our region extremely attractive and globally competitive. That includes a prime Mid-Atlantic location, access to infrastructure such as ports, airports and roads, proximity to major industry players and customers, world-class research institutions and a regional talent pool that’s second to none.”
The sector accounts for at least 16,000 jobs in the state, half of which are directly involved in innovative work across pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, research and testing companies, medical device and equipment manufacturers, hospitals and academic institutions, he reports.
“We have an immense opportunity and indeed imperative to accelerate this growth with smart investments in mobilizing and training a skilled workforce, supporting small and mid-sized businesses with greater access to capital, supporting the expansion of successful global companies with significant operations here already, nurturing more productive academic-industry relations and ensuring the favorable business and operating environment and low costs that welcome and incentivize science and technology innovators,” Fleming says.
Innovation is fueled by several organizations and Delaware-specific advantages. The Delaware Prosperity Partnership leads the state’s economic development efforts to build successful businesses and a strong entrepreneurial environment, and to develop a pool of talent necessary to drive innovation. The state’s Angel Investor Tax Credit offers a refundable tax credit for qualified investors in Delaware-based businesses and startups to promote job creation and innovation. And the Research and Development Tax Credit allows companies to maximize their R&D investment.
“There are many interesting and exciting happenings in Delaware from an innovation stand point,” says Zakiyyah Ali, executive director of the Tech Council of Delaware. “Delaware can certainly stand alone as a tech hub given our state’s concentration of tech jobs in the banking sector, notable technology workforce providers, a growing life sciences industry, the STAR Campus as a place-based site dedicated solely to innovation, and the emergence of the new Tech Council of Delaware.”
In addition, Delaware is “a major player in the Mid-Atlantic region — a region that was recently awarded two designations by federal government agencies to advance its innovation and tech economies,” she says. In October 2023, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded the Greater Philadelphia Region a tech hub designation for precision medicine.
Separately, Delaware is part of the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub, also referred to as MACH2, which secured $750 in federal funding to develop hydrogen infrastructure. “Both designations are designed to advance innovation in precision medicine and clean hydrogen for the benefit of the greater Philadelphia region and country overall,” Ali says.
