• Greater Rochester ranks 18th among all U.S. metropolitan areas for high tech employment with 65,650 workers.  This places the region ahead of such high tech hotbeds as San Francisco and San Diego. 
  
• Greater Rochester ranks 5th among all U.S. metropolitan areas for high tech employment concentration, with 147 high tech workers per 1,000 workers.  This places the region about even with Austin, TX, and higher than known tech regions, such as Raleigh-Durham, Boston, and Portland. 
  
• The Metropolitan New Economy Index ranks the top U.S. metro areas based on their structural foundations for competing in the 'new economy'.  Greater Rochester placed 21st among all U.S. high tech metro areas, bolstered by top 20 rankings in workforce education, export focus of manufacturing, computer use in schools, high tech jobs, degrees granted in science and engineering, patents, academic R&D, and venture capital. 

High Tech Business Associations

Digital Rochester
Digital Rochester is a community of technology professionals and entrepreneurs in Upstate NY. DR was founded in Q3/2000 and ever since we've been accelerating steadily on the way to becoming the Upstate NY area's pre-eminent technology business community. We've expanded our events and community services to include an array of networking, educational, entrepreneurial and economic development activities. The common thread in all DR events is focus on bringing value to our members and their organizations and businesses. Through generous corporate sponsorship by a wide variety of technology companies and community organizations, we've been able to consistently enhance our area's standing as a technology center.

High Tech Rochester
Our mission is stimulating growth in the Greater Rochester, New York technology-based business sector. We actively facilitate the identification, development, and incubation of new and emerging business opportunities. We also work to improve the competitive position of this region's established small manufacturing firms through product and process innovation.

Through a variety of high-impact programs and services, we help technology start-ups and established companies thrive.

High Tech Business Council
The High Tech Business Council is a mechanism to advance the Greater Rochester Area as one of the top regions for technology development and commercialization in the nation. Its mission is to provide an ongoing forum for linking technology innovation to commercial implementation and accelerating the growth of technology-based companies in the Rochester area. The Council defines regional technology strategy and navigates its implementation on a continuous basis.

The High Tech Business Council exists to:

• Accelerate the growth of technology based companies in the area
• Provide a platform for collaboration
• Find Partners, Suppliers, and Customers
• Assist member companies get improved access to capital.
• Help member companies hire the skills they require.
• Reduce the cost of doing business.
• Create a forum where high tech firms can share ideas and cooperate in order to achieve common goals

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

High Tech Rochester administers the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP). The Manufacturing Extension Partnership provides assistance to those companies in need of expert technical and financial advice and runs the manufacturing extension program for the region.

MEP is a nationwide network of not-for-profit Centers in over 400 locations nationwide, whose sole purpose is to provide small and medium-sized manufacturers with the help they need to succeed. The Centers, serving all 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, are linked together through the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology. That makes it possible for even the smallest firms to tap into the expertise of knowledgeable manufacturing and business specialists all over the U.S. These are people who have had experience on manufacturing floors and in plant operations. They've been where you are today. And they've lived to tell about it!

MEP centers work with small and medium-sized manufacturers - typically, those with fewer than 500 employees. We serve all industries- and all companies who are willing to invest time, money, and people to improve their business.

MEP clients include manufacturers who:

• Can't locate the proper resources or technologies they need.
• Want expert, impartial advice to help them evaluate alternative solutions.
• Need help solving a specific problem, such as determining the cause of product defects, modifying plant layouts to improve work flow, or establishing employee training.
• Want assistance in reversing negative business situations - such as sales decreases, loss of market share, and cost increases.
• Want to implement new technologies or processes that will help establish them as market leaders.
• Seek to reach their peak performance.