HelioVolt, an Austin-based company which produces sunlight-converting, ultra thin 'film' modules and materials for implementation in metals, plastic, glass and other materials that can be integrated into the construction of buildings, has announced its decision to locate its first full-scale solar manufacturing plant in Austin.

PayPal announced the opening of its new technology center in North Austin, PayPal Data Services. PayPal Data Services is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PayPal, employing technology and engineering professionals who are helping to build PayPal's global payment platform. PayPal plans to hire hundreds of talented local professionals in the next three years.

Thumtronics, a music technology company from Australia, has relocated to Austin. The company selected Austin over other computing technology centers like Silicon Valley, Seattle and Boston due to Austin's character as a city that understands the cultural and economic power of music.

The Jewelry Channel is a new live, 24-seven, sales-driven jewelry channel, which began its programming on April 18 through DirectTV. The nationally-broadcast channel’s new facility is in Round Rock and houses a new corporate office and a live studio. This development represents a big gain for the digital media, warehousing and call center industries in the Austin region.

Borland Software Corporation, the global leader in Open Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), announced that it will relocate its corporate headquarters from Cupertino, California to Austin, Texas.

KoMiCo, Ltd., a semiconductor company based in Korea, announced its plans to begin operations in Round Rock by mid-2007. The company is a leader in the industry of environmentally friendly production of cleaning technology for the semiconductor industry. Company officials say the move is intended to help them effectively service their U.S. customers.

Merkatum Corporation, a leading provider of biometric technology software and services, announced that it will be relocating its North American corporate headquarters from Miami to Austin. Company officials say the move is intended to help them effectively service U.S. customers from a centrally located, well-established technology center.

IndyMac Bancorp, Inc., a Pasadena, Calif.-based mortgage company, plans to hire 300 people over the next two to three years for a new home loan servicing center in North Austin and may eventually expand the number of jobs to over 600. The company has leased about 100,000 square feet of Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.’s campus on West Parmer Lane.