The founder of a fast-growing software firm explains why he bet on Montana over the coast. Beyond the ranches and rivers, a quieter revolution is reshaping how Montana does business.

Whitfield relocated his startup from Seattle to Bozeman in search of talent and lifestyle.

What sets it apart

His company now employs several hundred people across the Gallatin Valley. That detail is easy to overlook, but it helps explain the pull this place has on Montanans and visitors alike.

He credits Montana State University graduates for the firm's engineering bench.

Why it matters

Taken together, these threads say something about Montana itself — a state where the wild and the worked-over sit close together. Their bets on Montana may well shape the state's next chapter.