Silicon slopes

Silicon Slopes refers to the metropolitan area that primarily originates in the Salt Lake City, Utah metropolitan area but also includes Provo, Utah and Park City, Utah and surrounding areas. Served by the Salt Lake City International Airport and less than a two hour flight from Silicon Valley, CA, Silicon Slopes has been mentioned in news media, including NPR coverage about the NSA-led Utah Data Center in the region.[1]

Silicon Slopes' Salt Lake City Winter Skyline

Numerous publications and studies rank Utah as one of the top "best states for business" [2] and most "fiscally fit" [3] In the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's "Enterprising States" report, Utah ranks in the top five in every export category and was the only state to finish in the top 10 for all six metrics.[4] Utah tops Governing (magazine)'s list of the best managed states.[5]

In reference to California's Silicon Valley, Utah's "Silicon Slopes" encompasses a cluster of information technology, software development, and hardware manufacturing and research firms along the Wasatch Front. In particular, this grouping includes memory process technology companies SanDisk and the Intel/Micron joint venture IM Flash Technologies, video game software development companies EA Sports and Disney Interactive Studios and data analysis software including Adobe Systems.[6]

It is one of a growing number of technology communities (List of places with "Silicon" names) and technology centers (List of technology centers) gaining their status from their relationship to or similarity with Silicon Valley, California. Other examples include "Silicon Forest", a technology community in Hillsboro, Oregon, a suburb of western Portland.

On March 24, 2015, Google announced it would be expanding Google Fiber into Salt Lake City.

References

  1. ↑ Steve Henn (March 12, 2012). "On Utah's 'Silicon Slopes,' Tech Jobs Get A Lift". NPR. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  2. ↑ Kurt Badenhausen (November 12, 2014). "Best States for Business". Forbes. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  3. ↑ Kurt Badenhasen (October 13, 2010). "The Best States for Business and Careers". Forbes. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  4. ↑ United States Chamber of Commerce (June 19, 2011). "Enterprising States". United States Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Campaign for Free Enterprise through Purple Strategies. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  5. ↑ Mike Maciag (April 2, 2013). "Survey Ranks Most and Least Small Business-Friendly States, Cities". Governing (Magazine). Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  6. ↑ Gary R. Herbert (9 Jul 2013). "Technology's new home located in 'Silicon Slopes,' Utah". Retrieved March 25, 2015.


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