For many, Nevada evokes images of the Las Vegas strip with its world-famous casinos and entertainment. Yet there is much more to the Silver State today—it has quickly emerged as a magnet for technology innovation across industries from aerospace to software and beyond.
Powerful tailwinds buffeting Nevada‘s tech sector growth include business-friendly tax policies, premier infrastructure connectivity, and a skilled talent pipeline from schools like the University of Nevada, Reno. Top technology companies are taking note of Nevada‘s advantages as an ideal base to design, test, and scale the next generation of transformative products and services.
Let‘s dive deeper into some of the most influential technology leaders already thriving in the state:
Data Center Pioneer Switch Delivering Digital Backbone for Global Business
Las Vegas might seem an odd place for one of the world‘s largest data center companies to establish its global headquarters. Yet Switch found the Nevada capital to be a strategic springboard thanks to factors like low power costs and resilient infrastructure.
Founded in 2000 by developer Rob Roy, Switch began by converting a former Enron facility into a highly secure, resilient home for enterprise servers and networks. The company patented advanced cooling and safety technologies to support high-density data center configurations in the desert.
Powered by relentless innovation, Switch has expanded to operate over 15 massive data center campus locations by 2021. These strategically located "Prime" data centers encompass 7.7 million+ square feet worldwide, anchored by the 2.4 million square foot LAS VEGAS 10 facility billed as the largest colocation design on Earth.
With an elite client list that includes titans like Amazon, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle, and leading U.S. government agencies, Switch offers cloud, colocation, telecommunications, and edge computing services enabling the digital economy. Switch handles mission-critical workloads related to finance, healthcare, business operations, national defense, and more—making the $8.27 billion company a literal foundation upholding our virtual world.
"Rob Roy is one of the great visionaries in the data center industry…He changed the game for next generation data centers with unmatched speed, scale, and innovation capabilities powered by renewable energy," commented an executive at rival provider CoreSite.
| Company | Switch |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Rob Roy |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Key Technology | Data Centers |
| 2021 Revenue | $592 million |
| Market Value | $8.27 billion |
And Switch is just getting started on its mission to meet soaring demand for data center capacity worldwide driven by trends like cloud adoption, IoT proliferation, AI workloads, and the metaverse. The company aims to continue leading the industry transition towards 100% renewable energy.
Across two decades, Switch has molded itself into the backbone empowering Nevada‘s technology ecosystem to thrive—and enjoyed massive growth in the process. Their story demonstrates how prioritizing world-class infrastructure creates a rising tide lifting all ships.
Rimini Street Delivering 95% Client Retention with Premium Enterprise Software Support
Established in Las Vegas in 2005, Rimini Street takes a novel partnering approach to providing enterprise software support that aligns with client operational objectives versus vendor sales goals. This "value over volume" strategy has fueled immense growth.
Rather than force clients onto the treadmill of constant upgrades to stay vendor-supported, Rimini Street lets enterprises maximize value from existing systems for tax, payroll, ERP, CRM and more while freeing up cashflow for innovation. Their award-winning services include highly responsive technical support, security advisory, custom code support, cloud advisory, license advisory and other solutions ensuring optimal ROI.
Backed by expert engineers averaging 15 years working with Oracle, SAP and other enterprise platforms, Rimini Street serves over 4,000 clients in 23 countries—nearly doubling its roster since 2019. Impressively, annual client retention exceeds 95% thanks to relentless customer success focus.
"We challenged the status quo by delivering vastly better, ultra-responsive support compared to vendors—and enterprises are responding," said Seth Ravin, CEO of Rimini Street. "Even during periods of economic uncertainty, our unique value proposition continues to resonate."
| Company | Rimini Street |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Seth Ravin |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Key Technology | Enterprise Software Support |
| 2021 Revenue | $415 million |
| Market Value | $400 million |
Rimini Street finished Q3 2022 with record revenue over $101 million, up 8.3% year-over-year. Bullish guidance suggests topping $1 billion in annual sales by 2026. While competitors like Oracle try copying its model, Rimini Street retains dominant market share—continuing a 17-year tradition of putting clients first.
Sierra Nevada Corporation Pioneering Innovations in Space and Defense
It might surprise you to learn one of America‘s most prolifically inventive aerospace and national security contractors resides not in a bustling metropolis but rather the cozy northern Nevada hamlet of Sparks. Founded in 1963, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has exploded into a powerhouse driving breakthrough advances for government and commercial customers across space exploration, defense technologies, communications systems, cybersecurity solutions, pilot training, and specialized engineering services.
SNC now encompasses four unique yet synergistic business areas:
Space Systems: Designs and manufactures advanced spacecraft, propulsion systems, space habitats, and environmental control solutions for missions in Earth orbit and deep space along with proprietary Dream Chaser cargo delivery spacecraft in partnership with NASA and the United Nations.
Defense Systems: Develops radar, communications, electronics, avionics systems plus classified national security solutions deployed across air, land, sea, space and cyberspace domains.
Commercial Solutions: Sends payloads to orbit, builds satellites and human-rated systems, offers aerospace pilot training, and rapid prototyping services.
Microwave Technologies: Engineers specialty microwave equipment, antenna systems, and electronic warfare simulation tools supporting military, space and commercial settings.
This diversified, vertically integrated portfolio empowers SNC to tackle highly complex challenges. One stunning example is creation of the world‘s largest synthetic aperture radar for the U.S. Air Force. Nicknamed PANTHER, this breakthrough radar prototype leverages AI and machine learning techniques to track airborne or hidden threats across vast geographic areas.
"We encourage our engineers and technologists to color outside the lines and pursue ideas once considered unreachable—that‘s how we change paradigms," explained CEO Fatih Ozmen.
| Company | Sierra Nevada Corp |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1963 |
| Founder | John Chisholm |
| Headquarters | Sparks, Nevada |
| Key Technology | Aerospace Systems & Solutions |
| 2021 Revenue | $1.8 billion |
| Market Value | Private Company |
After nearly 60 years pioneering developments essential to U.S. space exploration and national defense, Sierra Nevada Corp continues going where only dreamers dare to vision—and delivering innovative solutions before customers even conceive the need.
Ormat Technologies: Geothermal Leader Empowering Clean Energy Transition
While many technology breakthroughs manifest in gleaming labs or silicon valley campuses, Ormat Technologies honed its expertise by mastering Nevada‘s rugged desert frontier as a leading innovator commercializing geothermal power.
Established in 1965 amidst the state‘s nascent geothermal activity, Ormat builds, owns and operates renewable plants worldwide generating emissions-free, sustainable electricity from natural underground heat. Backed by a growing portfolio of patents and proprietary processes, the company boasts:
782 megawatts of global generation capacity in 2021 across geothermal, recovered energy, and energy storage assets
7.5+ million megawatt hours supplied to the grid through Ormat plants since inception
24/7 renewable baseload generation profile empowering deeper decarbonization
Unlike intermittent wind/solar generation, Ormat‘s plants offer grid operators full-time clean energy capacity—making them an essential element for utilities planning coal phase-outs.
"Ormat is helping meet soaring demand for 24/7 carbon-free energy worldwide," explained President and CEO Doron Blachar. "Our diversified portfolio and storage solutions support affordable, reliable decarbonization."
| Company | Ormat Technologies |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1965 |
| Founder | Lucien Bronicki |
| Headquarters | Reno, Nevada |
| Key Technology | Geothermal Power |
| 2021 Revenue | $705 million |
| Market Value | $5.38 billion |
After five decades rooted in Nevada‘s landscape, Ormat is just hitting its stride with renewable energy adoption accelerating globally. Their expertise taming the Earth‘s subterranean heat to generate clean electricity positions the company as an increasingly critical pillar supporting society‘s broader energy transition away from fossil fuels.
Pioneering Startups Blaze New Trails
While the companies above demonstrate Nevada‘s prowess nurturing scale-up leaders, the state has also emerged as a hotbed for pioneering startups charting transformative new directions across industries:
Bigelow Aerospace (North Las Vegas) – Founded by Robert Bigelow, this startup develops radical expandable space habitats central to establishing sustained human presence in Earth/lunar orbit and eventual Mars colonization.
Flirtey (Reno) – The first FAA-approved autonomous drone delivery in the U.S. happened thanks to this startup‘s expertise establishing aerial logistics infrastructure solutions.
GAN (Las Vegas) – With patents around connecting land-based casinos to online gambling, GAN has ridden America‘s internet gaming wave to $30+ million in SaaS revenue.
HavenLock (Reno) – This cybersecurity upstart protects healthcare networks with advanced deception technology turning the tables on ransomware attackers.
Nuwu Cannabis Marketplace (Las Vegas) – America‘s first cannabis dispensary owned/operated by a tribal nation, NuWu is building a cannabis platform putting social responsibility first.
Verdigris Technologies (Reno) – Named "World Changing Idea" by Fast Company, this startup‘s AI sensors help factories/buildings dynamically adjust electricity consumption.
The success of early-stage ventures like these underscores Nevada‘s expanding relevance as a launchpad for tech entrepreneurship and outside-the-box innovations that shape the future.
The Outlook Shines Bright for Nevada‘s Technology Ascent
Fueled by thriving hubs in Reno and Las Vegas, business-friendly policies, prime infrastructure, and homegrown talent, Nevada‘s technology industry shows no signs of slowing its rapid growth trajectory.
The diverse technology leaders profiled above are just a sampling of the innovation seismic activity happening statewide. Forward-looking investments to expand STEM education, research institutions, renewable energy, battery manufacturing, data center capacity and related pillars promise to supercharge Nevada‘s technology flywheel momentum in the decade ahead.
"We are nurturing a vibrant ecosystem where trailblazing ideas can progress from garage prototype to globally impactful product," summarized Brian L. Mitchell, Director of Nevada Governor‘s Office of Science, Innovation & Technology. "Come join our tech revolution where bold visionaries are putting their stamp on the future starting right here in Nevada."
