1960s
ARPANET Adventures
Fast forward to 1969, and the University of Utah becomes a tech legend by connecting as the fourth node of ARPANET, the granddaddy of the internet. This move put Salt Lake City on the tech map, paving the way for incredible advancements in computer science and networking. That same year, computer graphics pioneers Ivan Sutherland and David Evans founded Evans &Sutherland, a company that would revolutionize visual computing.
1980s
The Network Neighbors
The 1980s were a time of neon, big hair, and big tech dreams. In 1979, Novell set up shop in Provo, creating NetWare, a network operating system that would dominate the tech world. Not to be outdone, WordPerfect emerged in 1980, becoming the word processing software that everyone wanted on their PCs. Utah’s tech scene was booming, and Salt Lake City was at its heart.
1990s
The Dot-Com Days
By the 1990s, Salt Lake City was a magnet for tech innovation. In 1996, Omniture, a future giant in online marketing and web analytics, was founded. The company grew rapidly, and in 2009, Adobe scooped it up for a cool $1.8 billion. Around the same time,Overstock.com set up its headquarters in SLC, and Vivint started making waves in smart home technology.
2000s
Cloud Kings and Digital Dynamos
The new millennium brought a cloud of opportunities. XMission, one of Utah’s first ISPs, began offering data center and hosting services. In 2009, Josh James, after selling Omniture, launched Domo, a data visualization company that quickly became a tech darling.
2010s
Experience Matters
The 2010s were all about experiences. In 2012, Qualtrics, founded in Provo but thriving in Salt Lake City, became a leader in inexperience management. Its acquisition by SAP for $8 billion was a game-changer. Meanwhile, Pluralsight went public, providing top-notch tech training and further solidifying SLC’s status as a tech powerhouse. And let’s not forget Ancestry.com in Lehi, tracing family trees and connecting millions to their past with cutting-edge genetic testing.
Salt Lake City’s tech scene is just getting started. The future promises more innovations in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, biosciences, SaaS, and more. With its welcoming business environment, a young, tech-savvy population, and unparalleled quality of life, SLC is set to stand as the beacon of tech brilliance. Tech Lake City is the symbol of that beacon. Committed to the continued growth of the industry, its dynamism and its diversity, Tech Lake City is the community everyone wants to be a part of.
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