New Economy: Washington does well. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation again finds Washington among the best states in its 2012 State New Economy Index. We come in No. 3, behind Massachusetts and Delaware.

Washington state, in third place, scores high due not only to its strength in software aviation, but also because of the entrepreneurial hotbed of activity that has developed in the Puget Sound region, and heavy use of digital technologies in all its sectors.

ITIF reports that the U.S. is falling behind in global competitiveness.

The failure of the United States to adapt to a global economy that is evermore dependent on knowledge and innovation for growth—the so-called “New Economy”—is causing traded sector firms, and manufacturers in particular, to look to other, more competitive countries when it comes to choosing locations. And this loss of traded sector activity, including jobs and investment, holds back the entire U.S. economy and its component state economies as well.

Although Washington fares well, ITIF identifies risks to the innovation economy that should be carefully considered by policymakers, here and in D.C.

Seattle comes in third in rankings of “start-up ecosystems.” I’m not sure how much weight to assign this report from Startup Genome, but here it is.  Your thoughts?