Great Places for Tech in Montana: Missoula
Located at the convergence of three rivers and five mountain ranges, Missoula is famous for fly fishing, live music, the University of Montana Grizzlies, and a booming tech scene.
Updated June 30, 2025
By Courtney Brockman, Bryan Curry, Christina Henderson, 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 features on Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, and Kalispell and the Flathead Valley.
There’s a reason Missoula is known for its natural beauty. Divided by the Clark Fork River with Mount Sentinel rising behind the University of Montana campus, the city is appealing not only for its surroundings, but also its vibrant business culture and growing tech hub status. Photo by Courtney Brockman.
Featured in Norman Maclean’s 1976 novella, A River Runs Through It, and the 1992 film adaptation, Missoula has long been a haven for outdoor recreation in the West. Conveniently situated near countless fly fishing, hunting, and hiking destinations, Missoula serves as a hub to adventure tourism.
Diverse sectors drive Missoula’s economy including:
Biotech
E-Commerce
Education
Film and Media
Manufacturing
Marketing Technology
Nonprofits
Software
Tech Consulting & IT
Aside from a growing entrepreneurial community garnering local and out-of-state investment, Missoula’s attraction lies in its extensive access to the outdoors, its strong and inclusive business ecosystem, and its robust arts and culture scene.
Doing Business in Missoula
Hub for Biotech
Western Montana has long been a hub for biotechnology research and development. Just south of Missoula, the Bitterroot Valley holds a cluster of established biotech companies, anchored by Glaxosmithkline (GSK) and the Hamilton NIH Labs (Rocky Mountain Labs).
Learn more about Montana’s biotech ecosystem with our biotech sector resource guide.
Missoula-based Inimmune focuses on developing the next generation of vaccines and immunotherapeutics. The company’s accomplishments include securing an impressive $22 M Series A investment from Two Bear Capital and partnering with the university to help develop adjuvants for COVID-19 vaccines. Photo courtesy of Inimmune.
When GSK moved its Hamilton-based research and development to Maryland in 2016, 15 researchers from its Hamilton lab formed their own biotech firm rather than leave the state. Inimmune launched at MonTEC in Missoula—in partnership with UM—retaining over $20 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) research contracts and forming UM’s Center for Translational Medicine. Inimmune was later featured on MHTBA’s 2018 Startups to Watch List.
In 2020, Inimmune secured an impressive $22 M Series A investment from Two Bear Capital in Whitefish and partnered with the university to help develop adjuvants for COVID-19 vaccines.
Five additional innovative Missoula-area firms were named Montana Biotech Companies to Watch in 2020 and 2024, including KLEO, which provides high-quality consulting services to the MedTech industry.
Innovative Tech Consulting and IT Services
Cognizant’s office in Missoula. As a leader in Quote to Cash advisory, implementation, and managed services, Cognizant contributed more than $122 million to the Montana in 2021 according to the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BEBR). Photo courtesy of Cognizant.
As a global business and IT consulting firm, Cognizant is a leader in Quote to Cash advisory, implementation, and managed services to both commercial and large enterprise brands. In 2022, a study conducted by the University of Montana’s Bureau of Economic Research (BBER) found that Cognizant contributed more than $122 million to the Montana economy and supported 814 local jobs in 2021.
In partnership with the University of Montana and Missoula College, Cognizant graduated over 225 Salesforce consultants through its Aim Higher program, which provided anyone with the learning and skills necessary to transition to a technology career.
In 2023, Tom Stergios, former Senior Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development for Cognizant, founded his own consulting firm, Craton Consulting, for global enterprises and technology startups. Stergios is dedicating the next chapter of his venerable tech career toward helping fellow Montanans launch their own. Craton’s clients include Missoula-based tech startups like The Whole Group and Ravus.
Headquartered in Missoula, Blackfoot Communications employs over 170 skilled professionals who help deliver cutting-edge telecommunications to businesses, schools, and communities across Western Montana and Eastern Idaho. Blackfoot also offers a C2M (Connect to More) Beta accelerator program for startups in Montana and Idaho to teach new businesses how to prototype customer feedback.
With Montana-based consultants and a national presence, Cloud Communications Group (CCG) is a strategic IT advisory and expense management firm helping enterprises navigate complexity, optimize spending, and drive technology transformation. A two-time Inc. 5000 honoree (2023, 2024), CCG is on track to be recognized again in 2025, reflecting its consistent growth and market impact.
As a global information technology consulting company with over 20 years of experience, Speridian Technologies helps clients modernize their businesses through digital transformation. In 2021, Speridian acquired Helix Business Solutions, an industry leader in Oracle CRM solutions and consulting. Through its New Wave accelerator, Speridian is investing in hiring and training graduates from Montana universities with two classes hosted at its Dillon-based office.
Several additional innovative technology service companies call Missoula home, including:
Axiom IT Solutions - Full-service customized web applications
First Call Computer Solutions - Managed IT, cloud computing, and IT project services
Fisher’s Technology - Office technology and managed IT services
LMG Security - Full-service cybersecurity consulting firm
TechNellogic - Fully managed and custom-built IT solutions
TeraDact - AI data protection, optimization, and resilience partner
Creative Marketing Technology
In addition to technology service companies, Missoula houses creative digital marketing organizations like Pathlabs.
Launched by University of Montana (UM) alum Ryan Hansen in 2014, Pathlabs (formerly LumenAd) was named a Montana High-Growth Company to Watch in 2018. With an impressive 188% growth rate, Pathlabs has made Inc. Magazine’s “5000 Fastest-Growing Companies in America” list for two consecutive years (2023-2024). In 2020, Pathlabs closed a $2 million seed funding round led by Next Frontier Capital and was acquired by MiQ in 2024
Through its YourPath internship program, which begins with a 400-level university course taught at the University of Montana College of Business, Pathlabs gives UM students an in-depth look into the digital media landscape.
Renowned Software Companies
Several established software-as-a-service (SaaS) firms are based in Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley, creating local job opportunities and advancing Montana’s high-tech sector.
Workiva, an Iowa-based SaaS company specializing in reporting and compliance, has an office in Missoula and has been named one of Fortune’s Best Places to Work multiple times.
Outdoor technology mapping company onX has over 400 employees and earned a spot on the MHTBA’s inaugural “Montana Companies to Watch” list. In 2022, onX secured $87.4M in Series B funding led by Summit Partners, which also led the company’s Series A financing in 2018.
Certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise, ATR holds an office in Hamilton. ATR provides work guidance and knowledge management solutions to high-risk industries.
NewBOS Partners is a team of agribusiness experts based in Florence that provides extensive software solutions for grain, feed & by-product industries, including trading, logistics, and accounting.
Stevensville-based startup Skyfish—an engineering-grade drone platform manufacturer of hardware, software, and advanced data analytics services—raised $20 million in seed funding from Bayshore Capital and SBA Communications in Spring 2021.
E-Commerce Accelerating the Economy
In March 2024, e-commerce giant Amazon opened a 7200 square foot warehouse facility at the Wye, helping accelerate Missoula’s economy through job creation. The warehouse acts as a delivery station for orders coming from larger Amazon facilities across the country. In 2024, Amazon was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Companies and was featured on Forbes’ list of America’s Most Innovative Companies.
The Montana High Tech Business Alliance had the privilege of touring the Missoula facility shortly after its grand opening with Amazon Regional Policy Leader Tim Ehlert, and Missoula Site leader Mabel Funderburk.
Pictured from left to right: Kate Pace, COO, Craton Consulting and Board Chair of the Montana Jobs Network (MJN); Christina Henderson, Executive Director of the Montana High Tech Business Alliance (MHTBA) and MJN; Libby Brunell, Senior Consultant, Cascadia Management Group; Melissa Paulsen, Communications Coordinator, MHTBA and MJN; Tim Ehlert, Amazon Regional Policy Leader; Mabel Funderbunk, Amazon Missoula Site Lead, and Guy Palumbo, Director, Public Policy. In 2024, the Montana High Tech Business Alliance toured the 72,000 square foot warehouse that also serves as a delivery station for orders coming from larger Amazon facilities across the country.
Robust Manufacturing
Advanced manufacturing is another key driver of Missoula’s diverse economy. Satic USA is a green tech engineering and manufacturing firm making high-end electronics that help alternative energy systems function more efficiently.
Companies like Diversified Plastics and CM Manufacturing are also creating local opportunities in the high-paying and rapidly growing field of advanced manufacturing.
In addition, the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) helps Missoula-based manufactures succeed by providing specialty training, workforce development and leveraging research and technological developments at NIST Labs, DoD Labs, and the Montana University System to grow the state’s economy.
Key Location for Film and Media
As a stunning location in a vibrant arts community, Missoula attracts its share of creative professionals in media and film.
The Montana Economic Development Industry Advancement Media Act (MEDIA) Act came into effect in 2019, offering a 20% income tax credit on production expenditures within the state with the potential for an increase of 35%. Film crews have taken advantage. Much of the hit TV series Yellowstone was filmed around Missoula and in the Bitterroot Valley. In 2025, Senate Bill 326 was signed into law, extending the film tax credit program through 2045 with a $12 million annual cap.
Also in 2025, a group of Broadway veterans and investors plans to open a 47-acre film and television campus in Missoula: the first of its kind in Montana. The Story House project anticipates filling over 400 jobs, with hiring focused on veterans, Native Americans, and displaced workers from Montana’s lumber and mineral industries.
To help Montanans launch a career in the state’s burgeoning film and music industry, the Media Training Center provides in-person and online rapid training courses, including entry-level Production Assistant (PA) training.
Diverse Business Services
Missoula offers a variety of professional services ranging from friendly local banking to timely legal services, and top-notch construction and engineering firms to help hardworking Missoulians achieve their business goals.
First Security Bank, a division of Glacier Bank, provides hassle-free banking with no hidden fees, easy mobile access, and superb personal service to make it a cinch to open an account.
Stockman Bank has been voted “Montana’s Best Bank” by Forbes for four consecutive years (2022-2025) and has several convenient full-service locations in Missoula and across the state.
Missoula also has world-class legal firms like Dorsey and Whitney LLP, a national firm that has been instrumental in securing some of the biggest tech deals in Montana through the years.
Additionally, Parsons Behle & Latimer has offices in both Helena and Missoula to offer the resources and capabilities of a large and diverse law firm, coupled with the highest levels of accessibility and responsiveness.
Located in downtown Missoula, home-grown firm Worden Thane P.C. represents tech and software companies in legal matters like software agreements, intellectual property, and more.
Forward-thinking engineering and construction firms like Cushing Terrell, WGM Group, and Jackson Contractor Group all have offices in Missoula to serve Zootown and beyond.
Strong Economic Development Services, Nonprofit Support, and Entrepreneurial Networks
Economic development groups like the Missoula Economic Partnership (MEP) and the Missoula Chamber of Commerce provide both established and new businesses with the programs, resources, and people that can accelerate their success in Missoula and beyond.
With free monthly meetings in Missoula, the Hellgate Venture Network facilitates social networking among entrepreneurs and advisors engaged in building growth businesses in Western Montana.
Sean Puckett, Managing Partner for Ranchland Capital Partners, gives a presentation to the Hellgate Venture Network (HVN) in April 2025. The HVN hosts monthly meetings in Missoula to encourage networking among local entrepreneurs and advisors. Photo by Christina Henderson.
Businesses are also actively involved in the local community, and Missoula has no shortage of organizations to volunteer with. With more than 200 locally-focused nonprofits, Missoula was ranked 4th in the country for the number of local nonprofits per capita in 2019.
Additionally, Missoula boasts several vigorous entrepreneurial support networks connected to the University of Montana:
Each year, the UM College of Business hosts the John Ruffatto Business Startup Challenge to allow aspiring entrepreneurs a chance to present their ideas, expand their network, and compete for $50,000 in awards. Previous winners include popular Brazilian restaurant Five on Black, downtown’s Market on Front, and the irrigation intelligence platform Remsight.
UM’s Blackstone LaunchPad is a non-profit on campus funded by Accelerate Montana and the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, focused on building entrepreneurial skills.
Housed in the UM College of Business, the Montana World Trade Center (MWTC) seeks to enhance international connections and trade statewide.
The Rural Entrepreneurship and Leadership Co-Lab for Women (REAL Women Co-Lab) was established in 2024 by the University of Montana and Wells Fargo. The first of its kind in the nation, the REAL Women Co-Lab is designed to replicable models of service and research for promoting women entrepreneurs and leaders in rural communities throughout the U.S.
Located next door to Missoula College, MonTEC—UM’s business and technology incubator—provides affordable office space for the Montana High Tech Business Alliance, Accelerate Montana, and local bioresearch companies like Inimmune.
Education and Workforce
The University of Montana (UM) campus sits at the base of Mount Sentinel and is connected by the communal “Oval.” A top-tier liberal arts institution, UM offers over 100 undergraduate, graduate, and PhD programs. Photo via GoGriz.com.
Missoula’s identity as a college town is a major asset to local businesses. The University of Montana, a top-tier liberal arts institution, offers over 100 undergraduate, graduate, and PhD programs through its College of Business, College of Humanities & Sciences, School of Visual and Media Arts, and more. UM is also the only university in Montana with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.
Just across the Clark Fork River from UM, Missoula College prepares students for the workforce through its developing career pathway programs like its Cloud Computing Certificate, launched in tandem with Amazon and as part of UM’s Tech Skills for Tomorrow Initiative. For a full list of training programs available from Missoula College and throughout the state, check out our Education & Training Resource Guide.
Hamilton’s University of Montana Bitterroot College connects a diverse rural community to a wide array of learning opportunities with academic pathways in cybersecurity, healthcare, and more.
In Dillon, the business and technology department at the University of Montana Western provides students with excellent opportunities to learn entrepreneurship from the ground up.
Based in Missoula, but serving the entire state, Accelerate Montana helps nearly 700 businesses a year in various stages of development and brings in millions of dollars of investment capital, grants, and contracts to Montana. Programs include rapid training workforce solutions, a rural innovation initiative, cybersecurity education, and a Montana validated credential service.
Transportation
Missoula’s International Airport offers nonstop flights to 14 major U.S. markets. In 2021, the Missoula International Airport received small hub status from the Federal Aviation Administration for its increased traffic and improvement in air travel.
With Mountain Line routes stretching from downtown to the university and across the city, Missoula boasts a comprehensive bus system. The Zero-Fare bus system earned a 2021 Transit System of the Year award by the American Public Transportation Association. UM students can also catch the university-operated UDASH as a free and sustainable way to commute to campus.
Amenities and Fun
History
The Salish tribe of Indigenous Montanans were the first inhabitants of the Bitterroot Valley and Missoula area. The name “Missoula” comes from a Salish word meaning “the place of freezing water.”
Founded by Christopher P. Higgins and Francis Worden in the 1860s, Missoula was originally a mercantile town filled with outfitters resupplying settlers on their journey West. Missoula engaged in interstate commerce with the introduction of the Northern Pacific Railroad and grew with the ability to transport goods in and out of the valley in 1883. When the University of Montana was built in 1893, lumber and education became the initial driving factors behind Missoula’s growth.
Constructed in 1887 to protect white settlers traveling along the Mullan Road—the first wagon road to cross the Rocky Mountains toward the Pacific Northwest—Fort Missoula soon became home to the Buffalo Soldiers of the US Army’s 25th Infantry Regiment, a Black cohort. These soldiers tested the feasibility of using bicycles for troop travel, with training rides reaching as far as Yellowstone National Park and St Louis, Missouri.
Built in 1887, Fort Missoula is both a well-preserved historical site and a modern city park complex consisting of trails, baseball fields, tennis courts, and a dog park. Photo via the Historical Fort Missoula Museum.
Once an active military base, the site was also used for the internment of POWs during World War II, and a newly restored exhibit opened in 2025 tells the story. Today, Fort Missoula is a historical museum and a vast city park complex.
Missoulians don’t have to travel far to immerse themselves in the city’s past. Unseen Missoula, a program of Heritage Missoula from the Downtown Missoula Partnership, offers education-based, guided walking tours to showcase Missoula’s unique history.
A Recreational Paradise
Home to numerous outfitters and guide services, Missoula is a top hunting and fly-fishing destination. Both Glacier and Yellowstone National Park can be reached in under six hours from Missoula.
Missoulians also have access to the Rattlesnake Wilderness, Blue Mountain, and Pattee Canyon trail systems, all within minutes of downtown.
For cyclists, downtown’s Adventure Cycling Association offers an assortment of maps and information showing how Missoula links up to expansive bike routes like the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.
Mount Sentinel’s “M-trail” is a popular hiking destination for students in-between classes and provides picturesque views of Missoula. The Waterworks Hill is also a great day-hike for all athletic abilities and features several branching trailheads overlooking the Rattlesnake Wilderness to the north and the city to the south.
Missoula’s Snowbowl provides year-round recreation. In the winter, two lifts provide access to 950 acres of skiing and snowboarding, while the summer months offer ziplining, mountain biking, and special events like trail races.
Summers on the Iconic Clark Fork River
The Riverfront Trail along the Clark Fork River in Missoula is beautiful any time of year and offers a great view of Brennan’s Wave, a popular spot for surfers in the summer. Photo by Courtney Brockman.
All summer long, the Blackfoot, Clark Fork, and Bitterroot rivers are dotted with hundreds of people leisurely riding the current on rafts or innertubes. Truly a river city, locals flock to the waters for afternoons at the Jacob’s Island Bark Park, walk along Maclay Flats, or watch surfers and kayakers on the artificially engineered Brennan’s Wave at Caras Park.
After a fun-filled day of floating the river, Missoulians and tourists often kick back and relax with a beverage downtown as part of the city’s thriving craft brewery scene.
Family-Friendly Activities
Downtown Missoula offers several engaging, family-friendly activities year-round:
A Carousel for Missoula and Dragon Hollow Playground - One of the first fully hand-carved carousels to be built in the United States since the Great Depression. Adjacent to the carousel in Caras Park, Dragon Hollow is a magical playland with enhanced features, including wheelchair accommodation.
Missoula Public Library - An internationally award-winning library, the Missoula Public Library offers free public classes, children’s story time, writer’s groups for teens, MakerSpace, demonstration kitchen, and the spectUM Discovery Area featuring hands-on STEM projects and education.
The Zootown Arts and Community Center (ZACC) - Cultivates community through accessible arts experiences and classes for all ages.
At the heart of Missoula is the University of Montana and its dedicated sports following. Families can chant “Go Griz” and watch Monte Bear (a 2024 Mascot Hall of Fame Inductee) perform acrobatics during UM basketball, football, soccer, softball, and volleyball games. Tickets can be purchased at GrizTix.
Families can also visit Ogren Park at Allegiance Field to catch an exciting Missoula Paddleheads baseball game while enjoying views of downtown Missoula and the Clark Fork River. On Sundays, kids 12 and under get in free.
Cultural Events & Festivals
The annual Kyiyo Pow Wow Celebration is one of the oldest traditions of Kyiyo and is held at the University of Montana’s Adams Center. The celebration unifies all Native Americans from across the nation in an event full of dancing, singing, and sharing of stories between all in attendance.
With an active Missoula Downtown Association, the city also hosts a rich nightlife and ample opportunities for art, music, and fine dining:
First Friday - Missoula’s art galleries and local businesses open their doors to feature stunning art exhibits, live music, and special events.
Caras Park’s “Out to Lunch” and “Downtown Tonight” - Food trucks and live music from local bands to break up the work week and make the most of summer evenings along the Clark Fork.
Missoula Farmers’ Market - A much-loved event by locals featuring creative culinary delights, impressive local artwork, and delicious fresh produce.
Caras Park is a hub for downtown Missoula and hosts popular summertime events like the Missoula Farmers’ Market, Out to Lunch, and Downtown Tonight. Photo by Courtney Brockman.
Music & Film
Missoula has a large offering of live music with hot spots like:
The Wilma Theater downtown
KettleHouse Amphitheater in East Missoula
On-campus sites like the Adams Center and UM’s Washington-Grizzly Stadium
These venues host everyone from obscure artists to big names such as Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, and Lindsey Stirling.
The annual River City Roots Festival features an art show, food trucks, live music on Main Street, and Run Wild Missoula’s 4-mile Roots Run.
The Roxy Theater on Missoula’s “Hip Strip” on Higgins Ave. The Roxy hosts the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and International Wildlife Film Festival annually, as well as select films currently playing in theaters. Photo via The Roxy.
Missoula also hosts world-class film festivals. The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival shows critically acclaimed documentaries from around the world for ten days every February. With an average of 150 films featured, the event takes place across four downtown venues (the Wilma Theater, the Roxy Theater, the Crystal Theater, and the Top Hat).
In the spring, the Roxy Theater hosts the International Wildlife Film Festival (IWFF). Founded in 1977, the IWFF highlights a curated collection of environmentally significant documentaries.
Jessica Bracey, former Information Systems Manager for Blackfoot, cites town vibrancy as a major benefit for businesses choosing Missoula.
“The thing I like about Missoula is the small-town feel that it's got with Downtown Tonight, the Out to Lunch, and all of the free events that the community does such a great job of promoting,” Bracey said. “It's amazing how Missoula can still encompass that small-town feeling, even though it's a bigger city.”
Ready to start planning your trip to Missoula? Visit Destination Missoula to leverage all of Zootown’s amazing amenities and recreation.
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:
Courtney Brockman is the former communications director for the Montana High Tech Business Alliance. She graduated from the University of Montana in 2017 with a degree in journalism.
Bryan Curry is a former writer and digital content coordinator for the MHTBA. Pursuing a love for the outdoors and all of the adventurous amenities Montana has to offer, Bryan moved to Missoula from Tacoma, Washington to pursue a degree at the University of Montana in English and creative writing.
Christina Henderson has served as executive director of the Montana High Tech Business Alliance since its launch in April 2014. She is also the executive director of the Montana Jobs Network. She holds an English/Education degree from the University of Iowa and an MBA from the University of Montana
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.
