Bateman said he also has benefited from the mentoring of BYU faculty, the camaraderie of fellow entrepreneurs at other local technology startups, relatively excellent transportation systems and a glut of commercial office space.

BusinessWeek mentioned Provo's competitive tax rates, low crime rate, reasonable real estate prices and scenic beauty as draws for out-of-state businesses or investors. Additionally, the city has an airport and owns and operates Provo's electric company, which hasn't raised rates in 16 years.

The magazine profiled four other cities in its list of five easy places to launch startups — Orlando, Fla.; Newark, N.J.; Medford, Ore.; and Waitsfield, Vt. — and pointed out that one of the major trends in entrepreneurial enterprises is the move to what it called "micropolitan" communities.

That is, metropolitan areas are no longer necessary for business success because of technological advances. "Spots that were previously written off as being too small, too remote, too rural, or too touristy are now attracting an increasing number of entrepreneurs," the special report stated.

The profile on Provo did raise the question of whether outsiders would feel welcome in a largely LDS community, however.

"The culture here plays a part," said Bateman, who served an LDS mission to Honduras. "The lifestyles of BYU students, because of the LDS Church, are different. Their time is not consumed with possibly drinking or partying and that time is directed toward more positive, constructive efforts. People here get married earlier, another lifestyle change that frees up time for productivity in startups or as employees."

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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com