Fort Collins ranks #2 in high-tech start-up density

Fort Collins ranks #2 in a new Kaufman Foundation Report.

Fort Collins ranks #2 in a national study on high-tech start-up density. The high-tech sector is defined as "group of industries with very high shares of employees in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and math" -- great news for those attending Poudre's STEM schools. And this is one "top" list that comes with an economic punch -- these high-tech start-ups play an "outsized role in net job creation" within the U.S.

Metro areas that make it to the top have one of three characteristics, and some have a combination: they are well-known tech hubs or regions with highly skilled workforces; they have a strong defense or aerospace presence; they are smaller university cities. Regionally, Boulder (#1), Denver (#6) and Colorado Springs (#9) ranked top spots and some in the Front Range are preparing to become the new Silicon Valley.

Check out the full Kauffman Foundation report. A local story appears in this week's Coloradoan. For an interesting story about a Denver-based high-tech start-up, visit the Denver Post.