Idaho Knowledge Report to be Revealed at 2018 develop.idaho

It’s well known that Idaho’s tech sector plays a critical role in our state’s economy. According to CompTIA, a leading technology industry association, tech employment in Idaho grew by 2.8% last year–the fifth highest percentage increase in the nation–and technology is the third highest driver of the Idaho economy, behind only manufacturing and government.

But how well do we really understand the factors that are driving this growth? That’s why the Idaho Technology Council (ITC) and its partners have developed the Idaho Knowledge Report.

Inspired by similar publications from regions with robust technology communities, such as Silicon Valley, the Idaho Knowledge Report evaluates various key performance indicators for industries that are cognitive and complex in nature. It considers a variety of factors that influence technology economic development, including wages, education, and public policy, giving Idaho policymakers and industry leaders valuable data to help them better understand how to shape and nurture Idaho’s technology ecosystem. Additionally, the report will provide clearer information about Idaho’s workforce, reveal gaps that need to be filled and help private sector leaders identify potential opportunities in Idaho’s hottest industries and/or embrace industry trends that could shape their businesses.

With the support of key partners including the Idaho Department of Labor, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), STEM Action Center, Idaho Workforce Development Council, Idaho Policy Institute at Boise State University, and Idaho Department of Commerce, and Andrew Beck, General Manager at EverCommerce, who is serving as our Committee Chair, the Idaho Knowledge Report will play an important role in helping our tech industry continue to flourish.

The Idaho Knowledge Report will be unveiled at this year’s develop.idaho conference on September 12. Russell Hancock, President and CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, will present the report and explain how we can leverage the information to grow Idaho’s economy.

As Erin-Todd Hansen mentioned in his previous article, the theme of this year’s develop.idaho is “helping Idahoans build a stronger tech ecosystem” and the Idaho Knowledge Report will help us understand how to further grow and improve our tech community. If you care about the future of Idaho’s tech ecosystem, please join us at develop.idaho on September 12!