The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development Office of Innovation on Tuesday released a Comprehensive Research and Development Evaluation, charting the growth and economic impact of the state's R&D economy.

According to the report, state investment through such organizations as the Maine Technology Institute leveraged almost 18 times as much money in new economic activity.

The report to the Office of Innovation is the seventh annual in a series by PolicyOne Research Inc. and RTI International. The survey and report were done last year, looking at what was mainly 2006 data.

Among survey findings:

- The growth of employment in the R&D companies was more than five times the average for all Maine businesses.

- The average wage paid by companies was $37,140, approximately 15 percent higher than the average state wage.

- The companies reported a 9 percent growth in overall revenues, almost 80 percent from customers outside of Maine, bringing new dollars into the state.

The latest report focuses on the amount commercial companies spent on research and development in 2006. Catherine Renault, director of the Office of Innovation, said that in 1997, companies spent about $80 million annually on R&D. That number hit $350 million in 2005, according to the report.

Renault said policymakers suspect a big factor in that growth has been funding through the Maine Technology Institute.

Traditionally, R&D spending was dominated by such businesses as Bath Iron Works, Fairchild Semiconductor and National Semiconductor. Now, she said, new names are appearing, such as MariCal, a Portland marine biotechnology company.

"It's important for that number to move up," she said.

Some familiar weak spots include the state's lack of venture capital investment and a low number of patent filings. In general, getting technology companies to evolve and grow is challenging.

The report also listed recommendations. One was to continue to support R&D and innovation investments and increase investments to proven models, such as MTI.

Another was to accelerate the rate of commercialization and to enhance support for entrepreneurial development, including the amount of start-up capital available through programs such as the proposed Fund of Funds.