In a city where we actually have an Innovation Center, it may not be that surprising that we have been ranked highly on a list of innovative cities. Of course being home to a major university and a slew of colleges helps to place Buffalo towards the top of the list as well. At the same time, it might come as a surprise to some… or many… that Buffalo is ranked at #11.
According to an article posted on Yahoo! (Inc.com), “Innovation is coming from some surprising places. When adjusted for population, Indianapolis ranks 6th in the number of Inc 500 firms, and Buffalo ranks 11th. Other cities you might not suspect: Baltimore (15th), Philadelphia (19th) and Louisville, Kentucky (20th).”
The article notes that Buffalo is not ranked for being a creative class (according to Richard Florida – see article), which is different than being an innovative city. In a city that has lost much of its blue collar industry, there has been a shift towards being innovative. Buffalo is the type of city that breeds innovation. Maybe it’s because we have a low cost of living. Or maybe it’s because Buffalonians come from a long line of innovators. If there was ever a city with an innovative past, it’s this one.