The City of Burlington has been ranked among the top ten most innovative US cities. It’s also home to the highest concentration of software, web, and game development companies in the state.
Proximity to the research and talent base of the region’s colleges and universities, availability of affordable real estate, solid broadband access, and the city’s cultural vitality all contribute to making the Queen City a high-tech cluster. As broadband infrastructure and the revitalization of Vermont’s downtowns and village centers continues to attract new businesses and an independent workforce, new concentrations of software and game companies are emerging across the state.
Information from the Vermont Technology Alliance’s annual Tapping Tech report describes the promise of Vermont’s software and gaming cluster:
- The average yearly household income in Vermont is $51,841; the average annual salary at a Vermont software company is $65,000
- For every 1 software developer hired, software companies add another 6 non-technical supporting positions
- Estimated revenue brought in by the state’s software and game development companies in 2011 was $280M
Software and game development represent a growing opportunity to create well-paid, green jobs for Vermonters. With existing clusters in geographic information systems (GIS), medical and pharmaceutical services, and a growing number of independent game studios, Vermont has an opportunity to develop strategies that combine our quality of life with careers and entrepreneurial opportunities in the software cluster.