A smart startup

The tech revolution could be headed our way — with Santa Fe company Descartes Labs announcing last week that it has pulled in $30 million in venture capital. That’s one of the largest rounds of funding in the history of New Mexico for a software startup.

The company, which provides information about Earth derived from satellite images, has about 40 employees now — and the new dollars will mean expansion. That means good jobs in Santa Fe, something to celebrate.

Started in 2015, Descartes Labs had raised some $8.3 million in beginning funding before moving from Los Alamos to Santa Fe. It is a Los Alamos National Laboratory offshoot, the kind of tech transfer business that our national laboratories are supposed to inspire. Santa Fe is thrilled to be home to this growing business.

And the city has much to offer, Descartes officials say. New hires, whether engineers or scientists, can afford a house here, unlike trying to afford sky-high home prices in Silicon Valley. Outdoor amenities are second to none, and there are arts and cultural offerings aplenty.

Of course, public education can be an issue for some. Remember, though, Santa Fe is small enough that the more students with strong parental support enroll in our schools, the better they will become. A cluster of families who demand a great education in a small neighborhood school — staying put rather than transferring or choosing a private option — will boost achievement for all students and eventually the district.

For the city, such a business brings people who are making decent salaries, buying homes, spending money, eating out and enjoying all that Santa Fe has to offer. And one triumph can breed another, as Santa Fe leaders understand. What a success story — and this is just the beginning.