What is California's competitive position?

Europe, Canada, Australia, and the U.S. currently dominate biotechnology. While Europe in 2004 had more biotech companies, the U.S. employed nearly three times as many people, with revenues nearly six times that of the rest of the world. Research expenditures are nearly four times greater. The U.S. is the current biotechnology industry leader. California has the highest concentration of biotechnology companies.

According to the Milken Institute, the University of California system was issued 723 U.S. patents from 2000 to 2004, No. 1 among all universities. MIT is the leader on overall outcome measures. It is first in startups, averaging more than 23 new firms per year. The entire University of California system reported 20 startups.

California universities made up seven of the top global biotech rankings and four of the top ten. UC San Francisco is probably first in patent holdings. The Milken Institute University Technology Transfer and Commercialization Index shows MIT first in licensing, startups, and related measures. The University of California system ranks second (led by UC San Francisco), with Caltech third, Stanford fourth, and Florida fifth.