2Boston Metropolitan Area Biotechnology Cluster

The biotechnology industry has developed in a number of tight spatial clusters in the US and in other countries. This paper examines the biotechnology cluster in the Boston metropolitan area. Preliminary investigation indicates that firms in this cluster are specialized in technologies related to medical sciences and that they are highly concentrated in one small part of the metropolitan area: the City of Cambridge. In order to better understand the forces that underlie this type of tight clustering, a survey of biotechnology firms was conducted as well as a number of face to face interviews. Results indicate the importance of local universities both as sources of skilled labor and as producers of technological advances with commercial application. 3Introduction Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing industries in the developed world. It is also one of the most spatially clustered industries in the world. In the US, clusters in San Diego, the San Francisco Bay area and the Boston metropolitan area account for a disproportionately high share of total employment and investment. In this paper we wil