PORTLAND, Ore.–Oregon-based technology companies play a key role in the economic growth of the state, and are making a name for the Silicon Forest across the world. To help fuel more growth, attract and cultivate top talent, and create more jobs in Oregon, Smarsh, the leading comprehensive archive platform provider, today announced the opening of its office in Eugene, Ore.

Smarsh expects to have 15 employees training and working in Eugene by the year’s end, primarily in sales and business development representative roles.

“Smarsh is poised to leverage and cultivate Oregon’s talent pipeline,” said Stephen Marsh, CEO at Smarsh. “The operation will enable Smarsh to continue to fast-track its go-to-market strategy and achieve growth goals, while building a sales team for the future.”

The opening of the office comes in partnership with venture capital firm Toba Capital, a Smarsh investor. Smarsh is one of the flagship members of Toba Capital’s technology accelerator, designed to help Toba companies easily access, train and retain top talent in the region.

The location in the Silicon Shire was chosen primarily due to its proximity to the University of Oregon in Eugene, and Oregon State University in Corvallis. Both companies expect to develop close ties with the surrounding universities, the Regional Accelerator and Innovation Network at the University of Oregon, and the Technology Association of Oregon in Eugene to foster opportunities for students and graduates interested in technology careers.

“We’ll offer training and mentoring in sales development representative roles to qualified candidates who want to build a career in fast-paced technology at Smarsh or one of our other investment companies,” said Matt Miller, partner at Toba Capital. “Oregon is an ideal place because it’s cost effective for business, has a great quality of life, and a lower overall cost of living. Together, these factors make it an attractive place to build and maintain a career.”

The Smarsh office is located on 8^th Avenue in the heart of downtown Eugene.

“Growth in Oregon’s tech community is not limited to the Portland region,” said Skip Newberry, President of the Technology Association of Oregon. “To build a sustainable tech industry, we need to attract and retain talent in the region. When we opened a TAO office in Eugene earlier this year, an important goal of ours was to bring greater visibility to what emerging tech hubs in the state have to offer.”

“Companies like Smarsh are at the forefront of addressing this issue, thinking ahead to the future by rolling up their sleeves and getting involved with education and talent development. At the TAO, we expect to see great things come out of the tech in Eugene, for companies of various sizes and maturation levels alike.”