Economic vitality and national security are never guaranteed for the United States. They depend upon our global leadership in technology and the regional innovation hubs that sustain the spirit of American entrepreneurship and innovation. Utah’s Silicon Slopes is a rising star among those hubs, thanks to the choices of Utah’s leaders in government, academia, nonprofits and business. The question is whether we will continue to choose that. I believe and hope we will.
Technology hubs rise and fall. In a recent report, the Brookings Institution compared America’s 100 largest metro areas on the share of national technology jobs they gained between 2020 and 2022. Salt Lake City and Provo ranked an impressive fifth and seventh, respectively, while other innovation hubs saw their fortunes decline. Another report from the trade association CompTIA estimates that between 2024 and 2034, Utah will grow employment in technology faster than any other state in the nation. We are a beacon for digital talent.