Chamber Recognizes Utah’s Innovative Contributions
WASHINGTON, D.C.— The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) today released a report highlighting Utah’s contributions to America’s innovation economy. This study is part of GIPC’s State Fact Sheets, which provide a look at the roles innovation and creativity play in each state. The report highlights local companies and facts demonstrating how innovation and creativity–which are safeguarded by strong IP rights–serve as a driving force behind economic recovery and future growth.
“Utah is a leader in America’s innovative economy,” said Dr. Mark Esper, executive vice president of the Chamber’s GIPC. Utah’s growing information technology industry is comprised of over 5,200 companies and employs nearly 66,000 Utahans. In total, the information technologies and life science industries in Utah generate $3.5 billion in annual wages.
Esper noted examples of innovation and creativity in Utah. The Beehive State established a Motion Picture Incentive Fund that helped bring several products to the state, including World’s Fastest Indian and High School Musical 2 and 3. Additionally, the software industry employs over 5,000 Utahans, making up nearly $460 million in wages.
“Indeed, Utahans are proven innovators,” said Esper. Utah native Nolan Bushnell, dubbed ‘the father of electronic gaming,’ invented his first computerized video game in 1970. Two years later, Bushnell and his friend Ted Dabney founded Atari with only $500. Atari’s gaming products were largely responsible for launching the computer entertainment industry, a trade that continues to thrive. “America has a unique story to tell, and Utah plays a large role in this story. Innovation and creativity are essential to economic growth and human advancement, and Utah’s IP contributions reflect this.”
The Utah State Fact Sheet is intended to be a resource for legislators, policymakers, and the public to identify successful companies, inventors, creative artists, and innovators to better understand the role they play in our economy and society. As part of an easy-to-use, interactive map, the State Fact Sheet project can be accessed online at www.theglobalipcenter.com, as well as in a printable format.
The Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center is working around the world to champion intellectual property (IP) as vital to creating jobs, saving lives, advancing global economic growth, and generating breakthrough solutions to global challenges.
The U.S. Chamber is the world’s largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.
For more information, please contact Trinh Nguyen at 202-463-5379.
