Brain belts: The many innovation centers that will take on Silicon Valley

Yet, while the world is busy watching Silicon Valley, these relatively obscure spots in the US and Europe are quietly building the infrastructure for innovation ecosystems that will drive the next technological revolutions. In 2008 General Electric opened a state-of-the-art jet engine component factory in the small Mississippi town, followed by another one in Ellisville in 2013. Both towns are close to technical universities stocked with researchers that specialize in new materials for the next-generation ultralight and silent jet engines. This partnership is crucial for innovation. As GE CEO Jeff Immelt wrote in the Harvard Business Review, "By partnering with Mississippi State University, we have developed a highly sophisticated proprietary process for manufacturing components made of carbon-fiber composites."