Las Vegas, Nevada, October 26, 2025
News Summary
The annual Vegas Tech Summit brought together technology experts to explore opportunities in the Las Vegas Valley, emphasizing Nevada’s business-friendly environment and lower taxes. Created by entrepreneur Teddy Liaw, the event highlighted the successful migration of companies like Astrana Health and Skillz from California to Nevada, showcasing the state’s focus on diversifying its economy toward tech sectors such as AI and health care. Community initiatives like CyRoot Academy were also featured, demonstrating local engagement and support.
Las Vegas, Nevada – Technology leaders from various sectors gathered recently for the annual Vegas Tech Summit, aimed at attracting more technology companies to the Las Vegas Valley. The event serves as a platform to discuss opportunities and challenges within the tech landscape, emphasizing the advantages Nevada offers in terms of lower taxes and a supportive business environment.
The summit was created by Teddy Liaw, the founder of NexRep, who made the move to Nevada from San Francisco due to disillusionment with California’s political climate. Liaw and other founders have found that Nevada provides a more favorable atmosphere for running businesses due to its lower tax rates and less regulatory red tape.
Among the entrepreneurs at the summit was Brandon Sim, founder and CEO of Astrana Health, who successfully relocated his company from California to Nevada. This migration was driven by the increasing demand for health services, highlighted by a notable shift of patients and clients toward Nevada’s more accommodating market.
Nevada’s economy benefits significantly from the success of these relocating companies. The shift not only diversifies the local business landscape but also enhances the tax base. Particularly relevant is the fallout from events like the Pacific Palisades Fire in California, which caused severe delays in rebuilding efforts, showcasing the contrasts with Nevada’s efficient business-friendly policies.
Overall, Las Vegas is regarded as offering less bureaucratic intrusion into business operations, making it easier for companies to thrive. The Vegas Tech Summit included discussions on how the current political landscape and tariffs are affecting the tech industry, with many business leaders, like Piotr Tomasik of TensorWave, expressing support for the existing pro-business administrations.
State officials are focused on diversifying Nevada’s economy beyond its traditional tourism and gaming sectors. They target the tech industry specifically, with particular emphasis on niches like artificial intelligence (AI) and health care. Notably, the health care sector in Southern Nevada has grown to become the third-largest employer in the area and projects to become the second-largest by 2028.
The 2025 Top Tech Awards were presented at the summit to recognize innovative contributions within Southern Nevada’s tech landscape, highlighting the region’s commitment to fostering tech entrepreneurship. Companies like Skillz, which relocated its headquarters from San Francisco to Las Vegas in 2023, are part of this movement, bringing over 100 new jobs to the local economy with an average salary of approximately $100,000, which offers a higher quality of life compared to California.
The Nevada market is viewed as advantageous for start-ups due to easier access to local officials and a supportive community atmosphere. The Vegas Tech Summit aims to establish partnerships between local businesses and educational institutions such as UNLV, promoting workforce development tailored to meet industry needs.
Additionally, the event highlighted community contributions from the tech firms relocating to the area. One such initiative is CyRoot Academy, founded by Asal Gibson, which offers no-cost technical education to veterans and underserved communities in Las Vegas, reinforcing the commitment to local engagement and support.
FAQ
What is the purpose of the Vegas Tech Summit?
The event aims to attract technology companies to the Las Vegas Valley.
Who founded the Vegas Tech Summit?
The summit was created by Teddy Liaw, founder of NexRep.
Why did Teddy Liaw move to Nevada?
Liaw relocated to Nevada from San Francisco due to disillusionment with California’s political climate.
What industries is Nevada working to diversify its economy into?
Nevada is working to diversify its economy beyond tourism and gaming by attracting tech sectors such as AI and health care.
What is CyRoot Academy?
CyRoot Academy was founded by Asal Gibson to provide no-cost technical education to veterans and underserved communities in Las Vegas.
Key Features of the Vegas Tech Summit
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Event Purpose | Attract technology companies to Las Vegas Valley. |
| Founding | Created by Teddy Liaw, founder of NexRep. |
| Relocation Trend | Companies like Skillz and Astrana Health moved from California to Nevada. |
| Economic Diversification | Nevada is focusing on sectors such as AI and health care. |
| Community Contributions | CyRoot Academy offers technical education to veterans and underserved communities. |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- Vegas Inc: 2025 Top Tech Awards
- Review Journal: Las Vegas Company Employees
- Business Wire: Dot Ai Business Combination
- ABC 7 News: Driverless Car Companies
- Review Journal: Las Vegas Pro Business Pitch
- Wikipedia: Las Vegas
- Google Search: Las Vegas tech industry
- Google Scholar: Las Vegas economic growth
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Las Vegas
- Google News: Las Vegas technology news
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