Kapolei has been able to market its park and attract venture capital. The Maui high-tech park has also seen success because of its access to the Department of Defense's supercomputer and assistance from the Maui county government. However, Maui faces a shortage of local workers and venture capital. As the state's policymakers focus more on developing an IT industry, Hawaii's prospects are becoming brighter. Adtech, WorldPoint, Summit Communications and Sandwich Isles Communications are all making a mark in Hawaii's technology industry.
Investors maintain that costs remain high and bureaucratic procedures time-consuming.
But it's becoming increasingly possible for Hawaii to convince at least a few of the ventures moving from the mainland to Singapore and Hong Kong to locate their subsidiaries in the islands. Meheroo Jussawalla is an international communications expert at the East-West Center.