A cluster is, quite simply, a group of complementary businesses that focus on or service the same industry. They come together to increase efficiency and innovation within that industry, while boosting the overall economy in their region by attracting more businesses to the area and enhancing existing businesses. And though the conversation about Carolinas clusters has only begun, the concept of increased productivity through specialization and economic growth through collaboration appeared as early as Plato's Republic in 360 BC. Now more than 2,000 years later, there are 1,400 cluster initiatives around the world, breaking through city and even state boundaries, and driving local and regional growth. In the Carolinas, our clusters are driven by the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness and its initiative called New Carolina. Engineering in the states of North and South Carolina represent major academic institutions, hundreds of companies and thousands of engineers. Carolinas engineers have developed new technology and designed major projects around the world in almost every industry. These industries include electronics, automotive, chemical, biotech, energy, infrastructure and a lot more. If your needs range from nano to mega, you can get your product or project designed, equipped and built by organizations with engineers here in the Carolinas.