Nevada Stakes it’s Claim in the West’s Tech Future

Startup Week events in Las Vegas and Reno this September offered a glimpse of what many state leaders and industry watchers have been seeing for a while: Nevada is becoming a serious player in the nation’s tech economy. Entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers gathered to discuss innovation, capital, and technologies reshaping everything from logistics to clean energy. While much of it is still in development, the momentum is starting to build. 

Nevada offers something few others can—space. Large, developable parcels near major transportation corridors remain available, even as the West grows more populated. The tax structure is equally attractive. Nevada has no corporate income tax, no personal income tax, no franchise tax, and no inventory tax. According to the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), companies can also qualify for a 75% personal property tax abatement for up to 20 years, along with sales and use tax abatements that reduce the rate to 2% for the same period. When dealing in millions, that is no slight advantage.

Location, location, location. From Reno or Las Vegas, companies can reach California markets within hours, ship through the major ports of Oakland or Long Beach and access the interstate and rail networks that connect the rest of the West. The state’s growing renewable energy infrastructure and clean energy incentives further support industries that rely heavily on power and sustainability commitments.

Nevada has also been intentional about attracting technology companies, going back to former Governor Sisolak’s proposed Innovation Zones, designed to court companies with groundbreaking technologies. Now, the Nevada Center for Applied Research at the University of Nevada, Reno, and GOED’s Innovation-Based Economic Development Division work directly with companies to test, validate, scale, and commercialize new and emerging technologies. Even workforce development programs at universities and community colleges have expanded to offer industry-aligned curricula, apprenticeships, and research collaborations. 

The result is a wave of growth emerging in both Northern and Southern Nevada, one that some compare to the semiconductor era in Silicon Valley. The advancements of that earlier period reshaped global industries. Today, several Nevada companies sit at the forward edge of advanced manufacturing, clean energy, data infrastructure, and next-generation materials as they move from concept to real-world use.

In Northern Nevada, much of that activity is concentrated in and around the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (TRIC) along USA Parkway. At 104,000 acres, TRIC is the largest industrial complex in the country. Known for hosting Google, Microsoft, and Tesla, it has also become home to emerging data-center operators such as Novva, Vantage, EdgeCore, and Powerhouse, companies using the region’s space, energy, and logistics advantages to scale quickly.

Novva announced its entry into Nevada with a 224MW campus planned on 137 acres at TRIC. “Nearly $3 billion will be invested in the project, with more than 1,200 individuals employed across the construction and ongoing operations of the campus,” officials said. 

Vantage Data Centers is also expanding in Northern Nevada. “As the global race for AI dominance continues, Vantage is leading the delivery of digital infrastructure to support the innovation and applications of the world’s largest technology enterprises,” said Dana Adams, the company’s North America president. Nevada, she noted, offered a strategic location with faster time-to-market and long-term economic benefits.

Switch, founded and headquartered in Las Vegas, is another major operator at TRIC. Switch focuses heavily on data infrastructure and AI processing in what it calls “AI Factories.” CEO and founder Rob Roy described Nevada as ideal for secure, redundant, and scalable facilities. “In the race to build the future of Artificial Intelligence, infrastructure is your greatest advantage,” the company says. Switch operates around a million square feet of space within TRIC, with plans to expand to seven million. Switch operates across one million square feet of space within TRIC, with plans to expand to seven million. The company claims that upon completion, the campus will have gigawatts of power capacity and operate on 100 percent green power.

Google is adding to its Nevada operations with a new round of investment. On Aug. 27, 2024, Google Global Vice President of Data Centers Joe Kava joined Governor Joe Lombardo and UNR President Brian Sandoval to announce a new $400 million investment to expand both Northern and Southern Nevada campuses. “Google’s continued investment is paramount to the tech hub that continues to grow across the state,” Lombardo said. “Nevada has established itself as a premier destination for technology investment.” Construction is currently underway on the 1,21- acre-site adjacent to its existing facility at TRIC. 

The Northern Nevada technology expansion is not limited to the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. Microsoft acquired 274 acres in Silver Springs in 2023 for nearly $16.5 million, followed by another three hundred acres in Fernley’s Victory Logistics District for $70.5 million in 2025. Apple, located just off I-80 near TRIC, has operated a large data center since 2012 and announced a $1 billion expansion in 2017, with additional growth planned in 2024.

While data infrastructure drives much of today’s activity, early signs of deeper science-driven innovation are emerging. Advancements in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing are driving much of Nevada’s newest science-based technology. One notable example is Lyten, considered an early deep-tech company focused on advanced materials and next-generation energy solutions. Lyten plans to invest more than $1 billion to build the world’s first Lithium-Sulfur battery gigafactory in Stead, just north of Reno. 

Not only are tech companies investing statewide, but a growing class of firms built around advanced science-driven innovation is emerging as well. MIT’s Dr. Phil Budden and Prof. Fiona Murray describe these “deep-tech” companies as ones that “create entirely new industries and markets and have tremendous impact shaping our futures.” These are the companies pushing past the limits of current technology, taking on elevated risk in pursuit of high reward. Nevada’s tech boom may still be in its preliminary stages, yet the groundwork underway shows the state edging into a larger role in the West’s technology landscape.