ESRI reports on how Minnesota uses technology to promote business development and one of the factors they promote is access to broadband…

In a competitive business climate, Minnesota relies on two practices to attract and retain companies: provide data that shapes investment decisions and deliver it in a way that’s easy to understand.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and his team have developed what he calls an executive portfolio—a collection of data-rich maps showing business executives everything from broadband capacity in Ely to youth skills programs in Minneapolis and the cost of living in Watonwan County. The technology behind this insight is a geographic information system (GIS).

At a recent tech conference, Walz explained that simple maps conveying complex information support the state’s quest for positive outcomes among businesses and residents.

Access to decision-shaping data and effective communication through GIS technology are two of the factors that have made Minnesota a top destination for business investment. It ranked sixth in CNBC’s list of the top states for business in 2024.

“The tools of GIS and the science behind this and the ability to communicate make a huge difference,” Walz said at the conference, reflecting on his time in the governor’s office.

And more broadband specifically…

For tech startups or logistics companies dependent on mobile workers, broadband accessibility helps determine the ideal place to invest in operations. With GIS maps showing broadband access and performance metrics, Governor Walz and Minnesota’s economic development team provide decision-makers with data that is simple to interpret, even as it drives complex decisions.