https://hbr.org/2017/03/when-america-was-most-innovative-and-why

Article from Harvard Business Review analyzing different factors that made the 19th and 20th century in the United States the “golden age of innovation.” Of particular interest to our discussion, the article notes that today most patents are associated with inventors working for for large firms, while that was not the case during the golden age. The authors then chart out the correlation between patenting activity and economic growth at the individual state level.

The article makes some interesting determinations. Innovation thrived in densely populated areas where people could exchange ideas and places that were open to disruptive ideas were more innovative. In a broader context, the article provides an interesting look back and provides some context of what we can take from the past to foster innovation today.