LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas is certainly not known as a tech industry. That is, it likely won't ever be confused with places like Silicon Valley in California or Austin, Texas.
However, Las Vegas is making strides in the tech space, according to some local leaders.
"If you asked people in tech 10 years ago what their opinion was of the Las Vegas community, they would talk about gaming," says Robert Rippee, executive director of UNLV's Black Fire Innovation Hub. "They would also say Las Vegas is really good at hospitality and entertainment, but what they didn't realize is that gaming companies are other types of companies too. They are tech companies, data companies and retail companies as well."
Since the gaming industry is so strong in southern Nevada, Rippee says it gives the region a leg up as it continues to grow the tech sector here.
Las Vegas tech companies like Switch and Plan A Technologies have made strides here in recent years, helping to change the narrative about the city.
"In Las Vegas, you have great weather, a great tax environment. There's a kind of ease here in getting around," says Aron Ezra, chairman of Plan A Technologies, a software engineering firm. "There's a lot to like. I think the city is continuing its march forward in attracting lots of different kinds of businesses."
Ezra should know. He came from California to build Plan A into what it is today, a company that does business with some of the biggest companies on the Strip.
"I think people don't realize the amount of technology that goes into building a great gaming enterprise," Ezra says. "There are many companies here in town building not only games, but also security systems, accounting systems, loyalty systems and all of the infrastructure that make the gaming experience so fun and seamless."
At Black Fire, the center plays host to dozens of companies that have either a presence or products there.
That includes Piaggio Fast Forward, a company that develops robots. One of the prototypes at Black Fire is a device that holds goods — anything from groceries to supplies for a day at the beach or pool — and follows a person wherever they go.
It's a hands-free robot that can carry up to 40 pounds of stuff.
Tina Quigley, the president and CEO of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, works to recruit companies to southern Nevada. She says one of the biggest obstacles she faces centers around convincing company decision-makers that Las Vegas is not just a place to visit, but also a place to put down roots.
"The challenge is they immediately think hospitality and gaming," she says. "It's really important to get people here so they see all that our community has to offer."
Quigley helped with an effort called "Locate Las Vegas," which was a collective of local business leaders that hosted a number of company owners during Super Bowl Week. The goal was to sell the group on the idea of moving to Las Vegas. Quigley says it was a success.
"I think we were all hoping that we'd see maybe three of those companies come here," Quigley says. "I would be surprised if, within 12 or 18 months, we don't see eight or nine of those companies with some presence here in some form or fashion."
Rippee says the groundwork has been laid but that more needs to be done to show off Las Vegas to tech leaders.
"What's going to take us to the next level is access to investment capital; venture capital," Rippee says. "That's Silicon Valley and I can tell you they are starting to take notice of what's happening here."
