Colorado’s key to economic strength is diversity. The state is not dependent on any single sector, and has a strong base of business in a variety of high tech and traditional industries. A state founded on mining and resource development, Colorado has responded to emerging markets and reinvented itself as a magnet for health care, telecommunications, and computer software companies.

Geography

• Size: 167,533 sq. kilometers
• Population: 4,417,714 Colorado’s geography is made up of snow-capped peaks in the western part of the state, a rapidly developing Front Range, and acres of fertile land in the eastern part of the state.
• As the midway point between Tokyo and Frankfurt as well as between Mexico and Canada, Denver International Airport is strategically positioned to serve global markets.
• The Interstate 25 corridor is home to a number of thriving communities including Ft. Collins, Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs, and a number of surrounding communities.

Industry Strengths

• Companies such as Qwest Communications, Sun Microsystems, Xcel Energy, United Airlines, and ConAgra have located their corporate offices in Colorado due to the attractive business climate and highly educated work force.
• The Milken Institute’s “New Economy Index,” released in November 2001, ranked Colorado to be in the third best position to excel in the New Economy.
• 1.5 billion dollars was invested in 111 Colorado companies by venture capitalists in 2001. Of 1.5 billion, 30% went to biotech companies and 33% went to software companies.
• High technology exports comprise 61% of all exports from Colorado, the fourth highest concentration nationally.
• World class skiing in the winter and breathtaking scenery in the summer brought in $8 billion dollars to the states tourism industry in 2001.

Skilled Workforce

• Colorado leads the nation in the concentration of high-tech workers, with 98 out of 1,000 private sector jobs classified as high-tech.
• Colorado leads the nation in the concentration of scientists and engineers with a post-graduate degree. 9,260 scientists and 1,945 engineers hold doctorates.
• Over 6,000 Colorado students received degrees in business and management and over 3,000 received Engineering and Technology degrees in 2001.

Education Systems

• Denver is the most educated of America’s major metropolitan areas, with 35% of the population college graduates.
• World class medical research: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, home to a 31-million Biomedical Research Building, Denver Jewish Hospital, the number one respiratory research center in the world.