Some of the biggest industries in the world got their initial support from governments. Examples include aerospace, semiconductors, and even the Internet (which started as a project from the U.S. Department of Defense).

However, there are risks with this support. This is especially the case when there are large government budget deficits, which result in lots of pressure to cut back on programs, for example, Cleantech industries. Consider that a variety of companies in the sector such as Better Place, Fisker, and Solyndra have gone bankrupt. Without subsidies, they were unable to sell their products at a profit.

In other cases, there are industries that are under heavy regulations such as healthcare and banking. This can sometimes stunt growth as it is tough for companies to move quickly.