Minneapolis, MN (October 20, 2009) – TechAmerica Foundation today released its annual report detailing national and state trends in the international trade of high-tech goods.  The report, Trade in the Cyberstates 2009: A State-by-State Overview of High-Tech International Trade, covers all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Minnesota’s tech exports totaled $5.3 billion in 2008, up $34 million or one percent from 2007. Minnesota remained 9^th nationwide in high-tech exports led by its two largest sectors, electromedical equipment and computers and peripheral equipment.  Together these two sectors accounted for about half of the state’s high-tech exports.  Minnesota’s $1.4 billion in electromedical equipment exports ranked 4^th in the nation.

"Minnesota’s high-tech exports continued to grow even in the midst of a growing global recession,” said Kate Rubin, president of MHTA.  "With over a quarter of Minnesota’s exports being technology goods, and with those exports supporting 24,700 jobs in the state, the tech industry is a major driver of our economy.  We need to keep growing the high paying tech jobs that produce these exports by continuing to open new markets overseas.  We support passage of the Free Trade Agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea that have been concluded but not yet considered by Congress."

Nationally, Trade in the Cyberstates 2009 shows that U.S. high-tech goods exports rose by one percent in 2008, reaching $223 billion, representing 17 percent of all U.S. exports to the world.  High-tech imports were down by less than one percent, totaling $336 billion in 2008, resulting in a slight improvement in the high-tech trade deficit, which stands at $114 billion.  High-tech exports supported 1,158,000 jobs in the United States.

Trade in the Cyberstates 2009 provides a comprehensive review of international trade of high-tech goods at the national and state-by-state level.  The report provides overview pages for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.  These "snapshot" pages highlight historical high-tech export trends, exports by individual tech sector, and leading export destinations.

This report is a partner publication to TechAmerica's other two annual cyber publications, Cyberstates and Cybercities, which provide data on high-tech jobs, wages, payroll, and other factors at the state and metropolitan levels.

Trade in the Cyberstates 2009 and its sister publications can be purchased for $150.  Visit www.techamerica.org/publications  to purchase the reports.

What Does High-Tech Trade Mean for Minnesota?

·         $5.3 billion in high-tech exports (9^th  ranked cyberstate)

·         Up $34 million in tech exports between 2007 and 2008

·         28 percent of exports from Minnesota are tech exports (ranked 12^th)

·         24,700 jobs in Minnesota are supported by tech exports

Minnesota’s Leading Tech Export Destinations:

·         $736 million in tech exports to Ireland

·         $676 million in tech exports to Philippines

·         $562 million in tech exports to the Canada

Minnesota’s Leading Tech Export Sectors:

·         4^th in electromedical equipment exports at $1.4 billion

·         8^th in computers and peripheral equipment exports at $1.1 billion

·         9^th in industrial electronics exports at $978 million

Source: Trade in the Cyberstates 2009

Data are for 2008.

Published by TechAmerica Foundation, sister organization of TechAmerica – Where the Future Begins    (www.techamerica.org)

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About TechAmerica Foundation

TechAmerica Foundation educates industry executives, policy makers and opinion leaders on the promise of technological innovation to advance prosperity, security and the general welfare. Launched in 1981, the foundation is a 501c(3) non-profit, non-partisan affiliate of TechAmerica, the leading voice and resource for the U.S. technology industry. It disseminates award-winning industry, policy and market research covering topics such as U.S. competitiveness in a global economy, innovation in government, and other areas of national interest. The foundation also organizes conferences and seminars to explore pertinent issues with government and industry representatives and to share the foundation’s findings.