Reports highlight region’s position as tech standout

Two reports by the Brookings Institution, a national public-policy group, illustrate the rising prominence of Boulder County and Colorado as centers of technology and innovation.

The first of the Brookings studies, “Patenting Prosperity: Invention and Economic Performance in the United States and its Metropolitan Areas,” ranked Boulder County No. 33 in the nation in the number of patents filed per year from 2007 to 2011, and No. 5 in terms of patents filed per capita.

Separately, the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings touted Colorado’s strength in the aerospace sector, including companies that reap large contracts from the U.S. military, NASA and civilian…