Salt Lake City is in a strong position to foster growth and economic development as it leans into its “Tech Lake City” initiative—a plan that aims to intentionally grow the economy that is accessible and beneficial to all residents of Utah’s capital city. Clark Cahoon, the Technology & Innovation Advisor for Salt Lake City, recently outlined the vision of this initiative in a Thursday Thoughts interview with Poly Platform CEO Kamel Greene.
Clark, a Salt Lake City resident since 2012, has spent years in government service in the state of Utah. With stints in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, World Trade Center Utah, and now Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s office, Clark gained experience with business plan evaluation, economic development, international trade issues, and technology startups. All this experience has equipped him to execute Mayor Mendenhall’s Tech Lake City initiative.
Speaking about the broader aims of the Tech Lake City initiative, Clark said that for those interested in doing business in Utah, “we want to make the case that there’s…a really great place to grow your business in Salt Lake City.” He also explained that healthcare innovation is the first focus for the Tech Lake City initiative. By focusing on building up needed infrastructure, partnering with active members of Utah’s healthcare and life sciences community, and leaning into existing innovations in this space, Salt Lake City is certainly making a strong case for attracting businesses into the capital.
Furthermore, Tech Lake City will create economic opportunities for all residents of Salt Lake City. As Clark said, “We want to make sure we’re giving opportunities to all residents within the city to help them understand where the opportunities are within tech, specifically healthcare innovation.” Clark highlighted several reasons for this emphasis on healthcare innovation: “high wages, recession-proof, [and] lots of entry points.” Ultimately, Clark sees the initiative as “trying to make sure that there’s an equitable way of growing and a sustainable way of growing, and there’s just not a better industry to pick, and that’s why we’re leaning in on it.” The Tech Lake City initiative will bring business and economic development to Salt Lake City, not to the detriment of residents, but in collaboration with residents to further their own opportunities for economic growth.
This initiative, like every government program or plan, hinges on the level of engagement of individuals at all levels. Alluding to this, Clark mentioned that while we are good at collaborating in Utah, there is always room to improve connectivity and elevate it to the next level. Certainly, Clark is well suited to meet the challenge of engagement; as he said, he is “a community builder—someone that brings people together.” As the Tech Lake City initiative rolls forward, Salt Lake City is fortunate to have Clark’s innovative eye and community-minded demeanor to facilitate its progress.
