Over the past year, I have probably been asked more than I can count, "Why Sókn Technology in Montana?" Initially, I was confused by the question because it seemed evident to me, "Montana." After all, this is where I live, and I was born and raised in Montana. I certainly would not move to start a Tech company. I see now why people not from Montana are so curious, as most people do not view Montana as a Tech hub.
Montana is a very business-friendly state. Our Governor, Greg Gianforte, is a businessman who is a software engineer, and well before he got into politics, he founded RightNow Technologies, which Oracle eventually acquired for 1.5 billion.
Bozeman is Montana's biggest Tech hub. The city hosts offices for companies like Oracle, Zoot Enterprises, PFL, and Workiva. Bozeman is home to Montana State University, which offers baccalaureate degrees in 51 fields, including Biotechnology, Industrial Technology, Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace, and Mechatronics.
Sókn Engineerings headquarters is located in Whitefish, Montana. Whitefish is home to NeuroID (an Analytics platform that provides insight to reduce and detect fraud and online threats) and Payroc (formerly NXGEN is, a global payment industry leader). Whitefish is home to Two Bear Capital. Its founder, Michael Gougen, is a 20-year veteran of Sequoia Capital. Applied Materials is located 12 miles down the road in Kalispell, Montana ( a global company providing manufacturing equipment, services, and software to semiconductors, display, and other related industries.
Two hours south of Whitefish is Missoula (my hometown), the headquarters of ONXMAPS, a mobile apps company providing maps for hunters and other outdoor recreation. Aware is a leading provider of biometrics software products and development services to government departments, system integrators, and solution suppliers globally. Submittable ( The social impact platform accelerating mission-driven work) is located in Downtown Missoula.
The companies I listed are just a few that are headquartered in Montana. With the abundant number of people leaving California and Texas and relocating to Montana, attracted by competitive wages, outdoor lifestyle, and our unique tech scene, Montana is expected to become a major tech contender in years to come.
In addition, we have abundant talent in our backyard. Our software engineering team, which we endearingly call "The Code Mine," is from Montana. Because of our unique and exclusive innovation, we have attracted talent worldwide. Our Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning department are two incredibly skilled and highly intelligent women from India who received their Master's Degrees in AI/ML here in the United States. Our math department includes a physicist who has been published several times. He found our proprietary mathematics and innovation so compelling that he joined our Whitefish, Montana, team from Jordan.
Sókn Engineering, because of our unique business model, will never be a big company. Still, we seek those with skill sets to complement and collaborate with our existing team, who think independently and are innovators.
Most people view Montana as a wide-open space with cowboys, ranches, and farms, which is all true, and that is the roots and backbone of my majestic home state. But we offer an excellent balance of sophistication in the business world.