It's no secret that some of the most innovative, profitable technologies coming to market nowadays are incubating in colleges and universities. This is especially true for Pennsylvania, where research and development programs abound and set the bar for schools nationwide. With 159 colleges and universities and 92 private licensed schools, Pennsylvania's institutions of higher education are the driving force in the state's new economy, constantly producing new businesses, technologies and some of the best-educated workers in the country.

Tech transfer programs are thriving at schools across the state and rolling out robust companies that are developing innovative products. From the University of Pennsylvania's upcoming Roberts Proton Therapy Center--set to open in 2009 as the largest center of its kind in the world--to Harrisburg University's new, hi-tech, $73-million Academic Center, to Penn State's Institutes of Energy and the Environment, Pennsylvania schools are on the cutting edge of new technologies and emerging industries.