Boise, Idaho

Boise, Idaho: An Overview of the High-Technology Economy in the Treasure Valley. White Paper written by Heike Mayer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Urban Affairs and Planning Program, Virginia Tech - Alexandria Center (February 2008)

Executive Summary

Boise, Idaho, is part of a growing community of so-called emerging high-technology regions. Even though Boise’s high-tech economy is small when compared to places like Silicon Valley or Seattle, the technology community in the Treasure Valley is highly specialized and very entrepreneurial. The region is home to leading high-technology employers such as Hewlett-Packard and Micron Technology. These firms contributed to the creation of a skilled labor pool and the formation of many dynamic and entrepreneurial startups. This white paper presents the result of an online survey of 135 high-tech firms in Boise. The survey was conducted by the author in 2007. We highlight characteristics of the region’s high-tech economy and interpret the survey results. Click here to access the white paper about Boise’s high-tech economy. A visual representation of the genealogy of Boise’s high-tech community is available here.

High-Tech Economy

Compared to other high-tech regions, Boise’s high-technology industry is rather small: The region’s 34,081 high-tech workers are employed by 1,335 firms, of which 77 percent employ less than 9 people and a mere 3.4 percent employ more than 100. The industry is highly specialized in sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing, computer and electronic products, software publishing, and engineering services.

Evolution of Boise’s High-Tech Community

Boise’s roots in high-technology go back to the early 1970s when Hewlett-Packard (HP) decided to establish a branch operation to manufacture printers and magnetic tape drives. HP’s move to Boise in 1973 was followed by the firm’s entry into the laser printer market in the early 1980s. As a result, HP’s Boise operation focuses on all aspects of the laser printer. In 1978, four Idaho natives founded Micron Technology, a leading semiconductor manufacturing company. Boise’s high-tech community grew despite the lack of a world-class research university. Instead, HP and Micron functioned as so-called “surrogate universities” attracting talent, fostering entrepreneurship and creating innovations. The firms, however, differed in important ways as outlined in this paper. Over time, the region was also able to develop an entrepreneurial milieu. Despite the lack of attention from state and local policymakers, the Boise region was able to develop a vibrant knowledge-based economy.

Implication for Public Policy

Idaho’s state and local policymakers have to understand and recognize the importance of the knowledge economy. They need to support entrepreneurship, industry-university connections, workforce and skill development, talent creation, and the region’s quality of life. Knowledge-based industries are critical for future growth for any region, and Boise needs to recognize that it already has the right prerequisites to succeed in a knowledge economy. To take the region to the next level, policymakers need to make strategic investments in their universities, connect to and leverage industry R&D, and they need to develop, attract, and retain talent.

Poster designs by Stuart Armstrong.
Copyright 2008: Heike Mayer, Virginia Tech