Though Louisiana received high marks for its right-to-work laws and entrepreneurial activity in the latest annual Innovation Scorecard from the Consumer Technology Association, the state is poorly rated for its tech workforce and ability to attract investment in the scorecard.
CTA, which was formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Association, launched the scorecard last year. Using 10 criteria, the trade organization lumps states into one of four categories: innovation champions, innovation leaders, innovation adopters and modest innovators.
Louisiana moved up from the lowest-ranking group of states, the modest innovators, in last year’s report to the innovation adopters group in this year’s ranking. But its marks in some of the 10 categories shows the state has more work to do.
“Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana all have strong right-to-work laws, but lack key elements of the infrastructure needed for new businesses to flourish: fast Internet connections, large tech workforces, and significant numbers of college graduates with science and engineering degrees,” the report says.
Louisiana received an A+ grade in the right-to-work category and a B grade for its entrepreneurial activity. However, it got a D+ for STEM degrees granted; a C+ for its tax climate; a C for both its Internet speed and welcoming of new business models; a D- for tech workforce; and an F for attracting investment.
“Louisiana became a 2016 innovation adopter thanks in part to improving its Internet infrastructure. Louisiana also shows some of the highest rates of new startups and jobs in the Deep South, a region that includes only one innovation leader,” reads the report. “However, Louisiana lawmakers continue to impose unnecessary burdens on new kinds of businesses.”
See Louisiana’s scorecard, or view the entire report.
—Steve Sanoski
