High Tech Entrepreneurs in Small Towns

Abstract

A focus on local enterprises has increasingly become an alternative to branch plant recruiting in economic development efforts. In addition, high tech manufacturing has also attracted community interest. This paper examines new (since 1976), locally owned and locally started high tech manufacturing plants in the rural West. The objective is to provide information on what communities can expect of these firms and to suggest possible strategies to enhance the success of rural entrepreneurs. The founders of the firms in this study were relatively young, self-financed, and experienced as owners, managers, or technicians/engineers. They located in towns because they had lived there previously or liked the natural amenities. Their chosen locations had distinct characteristics–larger towns near urban areas or areas high in natural amenities and/ or near universities. Little activity was found in small, isolated communities with few natural amenities.

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