This report on the Research Triangle region of North Carolina is the fourth of five regional reports completed as part of the Clusters of Innovation Initiative, a private-led collaboration aiming to inform key decision makers across the U.S. on the value of cluster-based regional economic competitiveness. This project is unique in its coverage of five regions and 15 individual clusters using a common methodology, individually and comparatively.

The Research Triangle was chosen because of the way it emerged from its dependence on tobacco and textiles over four decades ago to become one of the country's fastest growing, diverse economic regions. Significant investment in research and development, important formal and informal connecting institutions between industry and academia and government, the recruitment of major corporations, and the vision, entrepreneurial spirit, and concerted action of business and government leaders enabled the Research Triangle to develop this economic diversity and attain competitive positions in advanced industry clusters such as information technology, communications equipment, and pharmaceutical/biotechnology.