Massachusetts
Massachusetts has significant investment in technology, with over $824 per resident in venture capital investment in 2016, and $2,656 per resident in R&D investment. On top of the investments, the state also has business-friendly tax policies. As with many other states on the list, though Massachusetts doesn’t have right-to-work legislation on the books, it does offer protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Young people in the state are also incredibly interested in the technology field with 32.2 college degrees granted in STEM subjects for every 1,000 young people. The academic interest and strong job and small business growth has led to a 370,970-person technology workforce in the state. While many other states on the Innovation Champion list have no rules regarding self-driving cars, Massachusetts does have an executive order giving localities veto power over testing self-driving cars; however, it has no laws restricting drones. The state has also legalized ride-sharing services and enacted positive municipal rules for home sharing.
