A new map depicts the "solar system" of the Puget Sound technology industry as it developed over the past 30 years, as told through the genealogy of 711 companies, institutions and organizations. The UW is one of six "suns" on the map, representing the foundation of the local tech industry.

The map is the product of a joint project involving the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA), Virginia Polytechnic and State University (Virginia Tech) and Seattle University. The interactive version is available online at http://www.washingtontechnology.org/TechPoster.

In addition to the UW, the five other key organizations are Microsoft, Aldus Corp., Boeing, McCaw Cellular and Amazon.com. "Planets" revolving around the "suns" are companies founded by entrepreneurs with experience at one of the six foundation organizations. The map also depicts "comets," or startups that fall outside the orbit of the six suns, as well as venture capital firms and professional organizations.

"It's clear that a handful of foundational companies and research institutions have made an enormous impact on the state's economy," says Ken Myer, president and chief executive officer of the WTIA. "The entrepreneurs who populated this galaxy and the venture capitalists and service providers who support them have created the robust technology industry we see today."

The map is one of the products of a year-long study headed by Heike Mayer, associate professor of urban affairs and planning at Virginia Tech. Mayer's study is available at http://www.nvc.vt.edu/uap/research/documents/Mayer_WTIA_Jan2009_presentationandsurveyanalysis.pdf. The study points out that research, conducted primarily at the UW, Boeing and Microsoft, has played a crucial role in fostering a successful technology community in the Seattle area, especially through companies spun off by UW research or founded by UW graduates and employees of the two companies.

Data for the study was gathered through an online survey of technology firms in 2007-8, along with additional firms identified through other sources.