Destination: Silicon Slopes

Utah is a center of high-tech innovation. The first television, the first stereo headphones and the artificial heart were created here, to name a few inovations. But is Utah top of mind when the rest of the country and the world think about high-tech centers?

A new initiative, funded primarily by Ominiture, aims to increase the “mind share” when it comes to high tech and Utah. “We want Utah to be able to recruit high-tech talent and companies to the state,” says Brett Error, CTO and EVP, Products with Omniture. “That’s going to take a collaboration among the high-tech companies already here.”

The effort is called “Silicon Slopes.” “Utah has the highest percentage of computers per household in the country, and the 5th highest rate of internet usage in the nation,” says Error. “That alone makes this a prime spot for high-tech activity.”

Ominture has distributed a “Silicon Slopes” poster for the past two years showing every high tech business along the Wasatch Front. “Even when we use small a small font, it still takes up the whole page,” according to Error. This year they sent the poster to 3,000 people. Next year, they’re shooting for 15,000.

But don’t think this is an Omniture only effort. “We can only do this if other companies participate. It will take all of us to make Utah a high-tech leader.”

The Silicon Slopes effort is online at SiliconSlopes.com.

Listen to Brett Error speak about Ominture and the Silicon Slopes initiative.