"Montana and West Virginia Secure Tech Hub Designations, Boosting Tech Industries"

Montana has been selected as a "regional tech hub" by the federal Economic Development Administration, making the state eligible to compete for a share of $500 million in federal funds to become a leader in smart, autonomous, photonic remote sensing technologies. The tech hub will be led by Accelerate Montana, based on the University of Montana campus in Missoula. The announcement has been praised by top elected officials in Montana, who believe it will boost the state's technology sector, create jobs, and strengthen national security. The goal of the program is to diversify tech hubs beyond traditional locations like Silicon Valley.