Tech sector booming: Arizona technology industry report reveals sector’s resilience
In times of uncertainty, the people who make up our community are more important than ever.
Every quarter the Arizona Technology Council releases the Arizona Technology Industry Impact Report designed to chart the progress of the state’s tech community. The latest version should give all Arizonans reason to be proud of how the industry has continued to grow despite the tumultuous year that 2020 has been.
Our Q2 2020 report reveals there are 198,821 technology jobs in Arizona (up 0.9% over Q1), a rise in technology wages to $21.75 billion (up 4.08% over Q1) and a technology jobs multiplier of 2.52, meaning 252 new jobs were created in other industries for every 100 technology positions added.
While the numbers continue to show very positive indicators for our industry, one thing I felt had been missing from previous reports were stories that underscore the impact our incredible members have had in helping our state succeed. I knew there were stories of leadership that needed to be heard.
To shine the spotlight on the people who work tirelessly to support Arizona’s economic success, this quarter’s report features video interviews with tech leaders from a wide variety of industries including edtech, fintech, software and space. In partnership with Castelazo Content, we asked the leaders to reflect on their personal growth and how they have been impacted by recent events. Their insights and advice give the Q2 2020 report a value-added dimension.
Seeing the faces and hearing from fellow members of the tech industry really highlights why the sector is flourishing in Arizona. Greg Scoresby, founder and CEO of CampusLogic, summed it up well when he said, “I like the people here and I like the local tech community in particular. One of the words that’s been used to describe the community is ‘generous,’ and I think that’s true. There’s a real spirit of generosity and camaraderie. People who come from other places are surprised how open and accessible other people and companies are. I love that aspect.”
Other featured Arizona technology leaders include:
- Grant Anderson, president and CEO, Paragon Space Development Program
- Leib Bolel, president and CEO, Arizona Israel Technology Alliance
- Wes Hummel, vice president, Site Reliability Engineering, PayPal
- Chris Ronzio, founder and CEO, Trainual
- Calline Sanchez, vice president, Arizona & New Mexico state leader, IBM
- Jason Yankovitz, area operations manager, Salute Mission Critical
In addition to these community voices, the data that’s collected is certainly important and is the main reason the Council launched these industry update reports two years ago. The report includes statistics on risk capital, research and development investment, tax contributions, startup growth, technology postings by top cities, and tech employment by gender and race. Highlights of this quarter also include:
- A third of Arizona’s tech jobs are held by women. Our community is not only a powerful economic driver for our state, but also diverse.
- $863 million in venture capital was invested in Arizona companies in 2019.
Compiling the report’s information on the Council’s behalf is eImpact, an organization that creates web-based, data-reporting solutions designed to help cities, industries and planners drive effective policy, create new growth and engage stakeholders. The report is based on eImpact’s analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CompTIA, AngelList and others.
These data points help showcase why the technology industry in Arizona is so important. But our report this quarter is unique and one that I am especially proud of because it reveals the stories behind the numbers. It’s important to remember how valuable it is to foster community, generosity and empowerment with local leaders and other members of our community.
So, what do I anticipate our report will reveal next quarter? It has become even clearer that Arizona’s tech industry is not slowing down. We are resilient and strong. The numbers show this and the industry leaders behind the numbers back it up. You can view the entire Q2 2020 Arizona Technology Industry Impact Report on the Council’s website here.
Steve Zylstra is president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council.