Maryland is the wealthiest state in the country on a per-capita basis. Citizens also enjoy a low income inequality rate in the U.S. (ranked 19th out of 50) and one of the most diverse populations. However, despite these advantages, Maryland ranks well below median rates in all four indicators in the 2020 Kauffman Entrepreneurship Index. Startups are created at a lower rate, survive at a lower rate, create less jobs, and lure less founders away from their jobs than our neighbors in D.C., Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania. Similarly, Maryland continues to see its once-mighty manufacturing base shrink, losing over 25,000 manufacturing jobs since 2007.
Technical education is another major weakness of Maryland’s innovation economy. The Kirwan Commission report issued at the beginning of 2020 found that only 32% of graduating seniors are college or career ready. Career and technical…
