Great Places for Tech in Montana: Kalispell and the Flathead Valley
Anchored by Flathead Lake and its famed cherry orchards, Northwest Montana’s forward-thinking communities are deeply connected to the outdoors—and work as hard as they play—as the third largest cluster of tech companies in the state.
Updated May 29, 2025
By Martina Pansze and Melissa Paulsen
Launched in 2019, the Alliance’s Great Cities for Tech series aims to help people find the right community when they’re looking at taking a job, starting a company, or locating a home or office in Montana. Our communications team is updating these articles regularly. Send questions or feedback to communications[at]mthightech.org. Check out our recent features on Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Great Falls, and Helena.
At nearly 50 miles long, Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Missouri River in the contiguous United States. Photo by Eric Henderson.
“Kalispel” is a Salish word meaning “flat land above the lake.”
Population: 29,886 in 2024
Nickname: “Hub of the Valley”
Founded: 1891
Area: 11.7 square miles
Median rent: $1,675 (April 2025)
Median home value: $550,000 (March 2025)
Unemployment rate: 3.9% (February 2025)
Nearby towns: Bigfork, Columbia Falls, Polson, Whitefish
Residents Called: Kalispellians
Framed by the Mission Mountain Range and Glacier National Park stretching northeast to the Canadian border, the Flathead region houses clusters of small towns, including:
Arlee
Bigfork
Columbia Falls
Kalispell
Lakeside
Pablo
Polson
Ronan
Saint Ignatius
Whitefish
Kalispell is the regional trade center and largest workforce community in Northwest Montana, but the neighboring communities also add to the Valley’s economic diversity. Prominent economic clusters in the Valley include:
Advanced Manufacturing
Agriculture
Forestry
Healthcare
Recreation & Tourism
Software & Cloud Computing
The Valley boasts a close-knit entrepreneurial community, strong broadband with some of the fastest upload speeds in the state, and locals with a zeal for the outdoors and the natural landscape of Northwest Montana.
Doing Business in the Flathead Valley
Kalispell is the fastest-growing city in Montana, with an estimated 15.7% population growth since 2020. The city’s proximity to an abundance of recreational opportunities, combined with small-town culture, makes it an appealing destination for those looking to relocate to Montana.
“The culture of the Flathead is one of great respect and appreciation for the outdoor environment that we live and work in,” said Joe Unterreiner, Vice President for Business Development at Glacier Bank. “We're spread out and we have distinct communities ... so you have an environment of high growth and great outdoor recreation with the feel of a very rural culture.”
Advanced Manufacturing
The Flathead Valley is a key contributor to Montana’s robust advanced manufacturing sector.
Applied Materials is a global semiconductor and display equipment manufacturer producing virtually every chip and advanced display in the world. Their systems are used to manufacture semiconductor chips used in computers, smartphones, and automobiles. With over 800 employees at its Kalispell facility, Applied Materials is one of the Valley’s largest employers.
An Applied Materials worker manufactures the Nokota electrochemical deposition product in the company’s Kalispell facility. Photo via Applied Materials.
With global companies like Applied Materials and several specialty manufacturers like Synergetix Inc. and Fiber Reaper, the Flathead Valley is shaping the future of high tech in Montana and beyond.
Synergetix Incorporated provides expert engineering and manufacturing services through advanced technologies in 3D scanning and design software.
Fiber Reaper, a family-run business, produces adjustable fiber optic cable clamps straight out of its shop in Kalispell, which are then sold throughout the United States.
There are also tribally-owned businesses vital to the economy of the Valley. Based in Ronan, S&K Electronics Inc manufactures electronic assembly products that have military and commercial use. Clients include Boeing, the U.S. Department of Defense, Microlab, and Raytheon. S&K Technologies, Inc., based in St. Ignatius, is a family of companies owned by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes that provides a range of aerospace, defense, and technology services to clients around the world.
Cloud Services, Cybersecurity, & Software
Several innovative high-tech companies call the Flathead Valley home. WaterStreet Company is an insurance software platform company based in Kalispell with over 50 employees. Founded in 2000, Waterstreet works with property and casualty insurance clients to build custom platforms and manage business services. Waterstreet was dubbed one of the Alliance’s High-Growth Companies to Watch in 2022. (See also: Talent and Technology: Kalispell-based insurtech firm WaterStreet supports customers and employees through continuous improvement.)
Public agency software firm GL Solutions moved the company headquarters to Kalispell from Bend, Oregon, in 2021. Favorable business and personal taxes, direct flights to tech hubs, and lower median home prices factored into their decision. In 2022, the Alliance listed GL Solutions as a High-Growth Company to Watch, as the company has doubled its workforce since its move to Montana.
“What really sold us was the friendly, welcoming, and hopeful people,” said Bill Moseley, CEO of GL Solutions. “When I asked why people wanted economic growth, a local business leader said, ‘I want my children to have a better future in their hometown.’ Businesspeople encourage one another. Their commitment to community building was apparent.”
Top-notch information technology services, cybersecurity firms, and software developers contribute to a thriving tech ecosystem.
Endpoint Technology Partners - Full-service tech support for small to medium-sized businesses
Interbel Telephone Cooperative - Serves Northwestern Montana with broadband and telecommunications services
Ten Point Data - Leverages advanced decision-making tools powered by AI to support businesses
Adversis - Cybersecurity consulting firm to help businesses navigate the complexities of cybersecurity
Glacier Cybersecurity - Trains organizations in developing cybersecurity best practices
Sókn Engineering - Woman-owned S.T.E.M. company developing software for the algorithmic trading industry
Tourbase - Recreational software connecting travelers with top-rated tours and activities
The region also has strong broadband infrastructure. Upload speeds are reported as among the highest in Montana.
Business Development Services
The Flathead Valley also has a flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem strengthened by proactive economic development and recruitment organizations, world-class banking, and experienced venture capital firms.
The Montana Western Economic Development (MWED) Corporation and Kalispell Chamber of Commerce are key contributors to the Valley’s vibrant business climate. Through programs like business coaching, government-contracting counseling, and free business seminars, these organizations are supporting Montana’s next generation of entrepreneurs while positioning the Valley for strategic economic growth opportunities.
LC Staffing, a premier provider of professional recruiting and workforce solutions throughout Montana, was started in the Flathead Valley about 40 years ago. In 2024, they opened a new office location in Kalispell.
Raising Capital
Glacier Bank and its publicly traded holding company, Glacier Bancorp, Inc. are both headquartered in Kalispell. Since its 1955 founding, Glacier Bank has expanded into eight states across the Rocky Mountains, and was No. 3 on the Forbes Best Banks 2021 list.
Two Bear Capital’s headquarters in Whitefish, Montana. Photo via Two Bear Capital.
Two Bear Capital was founded in Whitefish in 2019 by Managing Partner Michael Goguen. Goguen spent two decades at Silicon Valley’s Sequoia Capital, where he led 54 company investments to a total market value exceeding $64 billion. Goguen is keen on investing in the AI & machine learning, biotech, bioinformatics, healthcare IT, and information security sectors.
Liz Marchi is the Head of Community Engagement at Two Bear Capital. She founded and led Montana-based investment group Frontier Angels for 12 years, seeding more than $20 million in early-stage capital.
“There are plenty of companies, but there's never been any equity capital indigenous to Montana. Anybody who wanted to raise money in life sciences had to go somewhere else: Denver, Seattle, the Bay Area,” she said. “Two Bear Capital is transformative in the development of the life sciences in Montana.”
Education and Workforce
Flathead Valley Community College’s main campus in Kalispell, Montana. The community college works closely with local businesses through a workforce training program that includes customized training, professional development certification, and skill-based academic courses. Photo via Flathead Valley Community College.
Located in Kalispell with a secondary campus in Libby, Flathead Valley Community College (FVCC) has strong programs in business administration, information technology, and several occupational trades hosted in partnership with local businesses to develop skill-based academic courses. In 2023, FVCC received a $4 million donation from Kalispell businessman Paul Wachholz to build a cutting-edge entrepreneurship center.
As part of its Biotechnology Certificate of Technical Studies (CTS) and Running Start Program for Montana high school juniors and seniors, FVCC offers the Biotechnology Aptitude Credentialing Exam (BACE), an industry-recognized certification that boosts employability. (See also: The Future of Biotech in the Big Sky)
Salish Kootenai College (SKC) has over 600 full- and part-time students. SKC’s campus programming and academics are grounded in the cultures of the Séliš, Ksanka, and QÍispé people of the Flathead Nation.
SKC offers over 41 course programs from Workforce Certificates to Master's Degrees in high-growth fields like business, health sciences, and information technology. The SKC admissions office prides itself on an open enrollment policy, welcoming every student into the college’s close-knit community.
Code Girls United is an afterschool program driven to expand future career opportunities of 4th – 8th grade girls through hands-on experiences in coding, technology, and business. Photo courtesy of Code Girls United.
After-school program and local nonprofit Code Girls United provides opportunities for girls in grades 4th - 8th to experiment and work with technology. Through hands-on experiences in coding, technology, and business, Code Girls United strives to expand future career opportunities in tech for women and empower tomorrow’s innovators.
Transportation
Flathead Lake, Glacier National Park, Whitefish Ski Resort, and the surrounding national forests attract thousands of visitors each year, further driving the Valley’s economy. As a world-renowned tourism destination, the region touts a robust transportation infrastructure.
Amtrak’s “Empire Builder” route has an access point in Whitefish that connects to Seattle to the west and Minneapolis and Chicago to the east.
Amtrak’s Empire Builder route connects Whitefish to Seattle and Chicago. Photo via Amtrak Guide.
Additionally, Greyhound bus stations are found in Pablo, Polson, Lakeside, Kalispell, and Whitefish.
The railroad tracks bordering Kalispell’s downtown properties have been relocated east of the city to make further use of the downtown space. Dubbed “Rails to Trails,” the project features a pedestrian trail system wrapping around the city.
Glacier Park International Airport is seven miles outside of Kalispell, serving eight major airlines and connecting to the main hubs of Seattle, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Denver, and Las Vegas in addition to direct flights to other locations seasonally.
Amenities and Fun
History of the Valley
Glacial movement during the Ice Age carved the iconic natural landscapes of Northwest Montana’s Flathead Valley.
The nearly 2000-square-mile Flathead Indian Reservation contains the southern portion of the Valley. The Reservation is home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), which includes the Bitterroot Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d’Oreilles tribes.
The Bison Range was restored to Tribal ownership in 2020. Photo via Helen H. Richardson for NRDC.
The Bison Range, formerly known as the National Bison Range, is derived from a free-ranging herd started by Tribal members in the 1800s. In 2020, Congress voted to restore the Bison Range to federal trust ownership for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The Tribes will continue to conserve the buffalo, wildlife, and land of the 18,800-acre range south of Pablo.
Archaeologists have found evidence that Native Americans lived in Montana 14,000 years ago. The Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d’Oreille tribes migrated around the Flathead and Bitterroot Valleys seasonally, living off roots, vegetables, fruits, and meat. In 1805, Lewis and Clark encountered Salish people as they moved West.
In 1855, future U.S. president James Garfield forged the signatures on the Treaty of Hellgate, which established the first iteration of the Flathead Reservation and required S&K people to abandon the Bitterroot Valley.
Settlers planted orchards in the north Valley and eventually expanded to grains and vegetables. The government saw the agricultural and forestry potential of the land and allotted over 61,000 acres of the Flathead Indian Reservation—more than half—to white households and farms in the early 1900s.
To this day, vineyards and orchards thrive in the Valley; the world-famous Flathead Cherries are a summertime staple.
The Valley also houses Hutterite communities. A 2019 University of Montana study found that Hutterite colonies in Montana produce over 2,100 year-round jobs and contribute more than $365 million in annual spending for the state, mostly through agricultural and farming endeavors such as grain, hogs, and eggs.
The town of St. Ignatius is home to the St. Ignatius Mission, a Catholic church from the late 1800s decked with original paintings. The Historic Mission has tours, a museum, and regular church services.
The St. Ignatius Mission was built in the early 1890's and features over 58 original paintings by Brother Joseph Carignano on its walls and ceilings. Photo via Visit Montana.
A Recreational Paradise
In the warmer months, Flathead Lake—the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Missouri River in the contiguous U.S.—is an attraction for paddleboarding, boating, wakesurfing, fishing, and sailing.
The Mission Mountains and Bob Marshall Wilderness are a favorite for backpackers and hikers, as well as Glacier National Park, which sees three million visitors each year. Day-use areas like Lone Pine and Wayfarers State Park are also popular for picnics and hikes with family and friends.
Destination ski area Whitefish Mountain Resort has solid snowpack and drought resistance in the winters and an Alpine Slide during the summer. BlackTail Mountain Ski Resort in Lakeside is also a hotspot for skiers and snowboarders wanting to make the most out of Montana’s winters.
The Flathead Valley also has some of the state’s most scenic golf courses, including Eagle Bend in quaint Bigfork, Polson Bay Golf Course with overviews of Flathead Lake, and Glacier View right outside Glacier National Park.
Family-friendly Activities
As a recreational playground year-round, the Flathead Valley has no shortage of family-friendly activities.
The Flathead Lake Alpine Coaster is Montana’s first and only Alpine Coaster. Based in Lakeside, the Alpine Coaster offers stunning views of Flathead Lake and high-speed thrills for the entire family all year long. After riding, families can visit Flathead Lake Gem Mining Co. to uncover sparkling gemstones, crystals, and ancient fossils.
There are also several fun activities to take advantage of along Highway 2 on the way to Glacier National Park.
The Amazing Fun Center, 7 miles south of the West Glacier entrance, houses the first 2-level, human-sized wooden maze ever built in North America, as well as an 18-hole miniature golf course, bumper boats, Bankshot Basketball, and a deluxe go-kart track.
Big Sky Waterpark in Columbia Falls is Montana’s largest water park, including 10 exciting water slides, a huge whirlpool, a kids’ activity pool, mini golf, and bumper cars.
Glacier Highline offers the ultimate treetop adventure with over 50 different highline and ropes course activities.
Families can enjoy America’s pastime by cheering on the local minor league baseball team, the Glacier Range Riders. Catch flyballs and incredible Valley sunsets at the newly built Glacier Bank Park.
For indoor fun, explore the history and culture of this corner of Big Sky Country at the Northwest Montana History Museum in Kalispell. Children get in for free!
Cultural Events & Festivals
Several annual events such as the Flathead Lake Blues and Music Festival, Huckleberry Festival, Standing Arrow Pow Wow, and Polson Cherry Festival take place annually in the Flathead Valley.
Occupying the Eastern shores of Flathead Lake, Bigfork is a hub for arts and culture in the Valley. Every August, the town puts on the Bigfork Festival of the Arts featuring handmade jewelry, live music, pottery, woodcarvings, wildlife photography, and more.
Over the past 60+ years, the Bigfork Summer Playhouse has had many talented performers grace the stage. Notable alumni include J.K. Simmons, Daniel Erickson, and Curt Olds.
Located in Arlee, the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas is lined with statues and arranged in an eight-spoked wheel pattern called a Dharma Wheel. Photo via Destination Missoula.
Arlee, the southernmost town in the Valley, has been the home of the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas since 2012. The spiritual site is spread across ten acres of land. Complete with a botanical garden, public park, and a spiritual site for Buddhists, the monument represents the 1,000 Buddhas that will be born in this age.
The Flathead Valley also hosts multiple weekend farmers' markets in cities like Columbia Falls, Kalispell, and Whitefish.
Ready to start planning your trip to the Flathead Valley? Visit Discover Kalispell to plan your stay and take in all the amazing amenities and sights the Valley offers.
About the Publisher:
Launched in 2014, the Montana High Tech Business Alliance is a nonpartisan nonprofit association of more than 200 high tech and manufacturing companies and affiliates creating high-paying jobs in Montana. For more information, visit MTHighTech.org or subscribe to our biweekly newsletter.
About the Authors:
Martina Pansze is the former communications director for the Montana High Tech Business Alliance. She graduated from Whitman College with a degree in film and media studies, and has worked as a freelance journalist and grant writer.
Melissa Paulsen is the communications coordinator for the Montana High Tech Business Alliance. She graduated from the University of Montana in 2022 with a BFA in creative writing and a minor in history.
