Software designers passionate about Saskatoon: when business partners Amit Gupta and Trent McConaghy needed a home for Solido Design Automation Inc., they chose Innovation Place in Saskatoon for its strong investment community, high-tech expertise, and quality of life.

The business partners have been through the start-up process before with another company, Analog Design Automation that they sold to a California investor in 2004.

"After we sold Analog Design Automation, we were looking at new markets and new challenges in semiconductor chip design and on that basis we started Solido in 2005", says Gupta.

The city's high-tech sector has reached what Gupta calls a critical mass. The combination of companies locating in the city, the influence of Innovation Place and the establishment of the Canadian Light Source synchrotron has created an environment where employees have a sense of mobility in their careers.

In addition, Gupta and McConaghy can see how Saskatchewan's investment community has grown a great deal over the past decade.

In June, the company announced that it had secured $2.5 million in first round funding from BDC Venture Capital, Investment Saskatchewan and private investors.

The funding will allow Solido Design to expand its engineering team and bring to market pioneering transistor-level design enhancement solutions that will address emerging challenges for analog/mixed-signal, custom digital and memory designers.

"A lot of investors here are looking to diversify their investment and are really supportive of high technology companies," Gupta says. "Plus, the talent pool here is really strong. The electrical engineering and computer science programs at the University of Saskatchewan have been able to attract a lot of people."

High technology employees, especially electrical engineers, computer scientists and engineering physicists, can progress throughout their careers within Saskatoon, a situation many would not have found as recently as six years ago, he says.

"You have mobility within Saskatoon, which traditionally wasn't the case. Now, there are so many companies in Saskatoon recruiting and employing that sector of talent."

Opportunity to grow is highly appealing to good employees, says Gupta.

"As a result, we've been able to attract employees from other provinces."

Three employees were enticed to move back to Saskatoon after taking employment outside the province. Another three had been looking outside the province, but stayed because of the opportunities, and one relocated from Ontario.

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Gupta says that in addition to looking for satisfying and fulfilling work, people want a city where they can raise their families. Saskatoon provides a cost of living and quality of life people find attractive.

Gupta and McConaghy see Saskatoon as an ideal environment for growing their business.