Location plays a critical role in the success and sustainability of a high-technology venture, whether it’s a startup capitalizing on the proximity of venture capitalists, a company in search of bright talent, or an established brand that continues to expand.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, Portland city officials unveiled Phase 1 of the Portland Technology Park alongside members of the Bioscience Association of Maine and the U.S.

Rockford, IL, a once-proud manufacturing town, recently uncovered a potential solution to its decades-long economic struggle: a quietly thriving aerospace and aviation cluster. Local officials have grown fond of remarking that no airplane today flies without a component made in or around Rockford. And today, factions that hardly interacted before are finding ways to pull in the same direction -- even competing aviation companies. "The business community is stepping up in a new way," according to UTC Aerospace Systems, one such member of this effort.

In just six years, North Louisiana has created a fast-growing cyber cluster in a region historically dominated by manufacturing and oil and gas. The catalyst for this stems from the combined vision of local and state leaders to diversify the region's economy and inculcate a knowledge-based workforce.

The Southern Governors’ Association, under its president Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, recently commissioned the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI) to conduct an economic analysis regarding the value of a regional approach to support the South's advanced manufacturing sector.

SARTA (Sacramento Regional Technology Alliance) is invigorating agriculture technology ventures through its new AgStart cluster program. Drawing on California's core tech and agriculture sectors, AgStart facilitates the research and development of ag tech companies and entrepreneurs. Said SARTA CEO Meg Arnold: "There is a huge, and growing, need for agriculture technology to increase productivity and yield, improve cost effectiveness, and enhance the efficient use of water, energy, and land. Sacramento ...

Developed as part of the U.S. Cluster Mapping Project, The Precision Manufacturing Regional Alliance: A Cluster Development Initiative in Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley illustrates how a region can position its roots in a declining industry into strengths for new cluster growth. It also offers an example of how an organization such as the Innovation Institute at MassTech can leverage public funds to make strategic investments and enrich cluster performance.

This blog post by Forbes contributor Rebecca Bagley breaks down how U.S. regions can encourage advanced energy development by exploiting the assets and opportunities in their vicinity. Appealing to an example of a mature energy cluster in Northeast Ohio, local business leaders stress that organizations can efficiently deliver services only after they have outlined their regional strengths and market opportunities.

As CEO of NorTech, an economic development organization for advanced energy and technology clusters in Northeast Ohio, Forbes contributor Rebecca Bagley shares her insights on how cluster companies and institutions can best exchange ideas and expertise with individuals in influential positions. Highlighting a recent roundtable discussion she hosted for local business leaders with U.S.

This Brookings blog post discusses the Obama Administration's new Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership, which will back coordinated, sustainable investment in advanced manufacturing in U.S. localities. Aside from the welcome financial support, a cornerstone of this initiative is its recognition of the emphatically regional underpinnings of U.S. manufacturing.