Many people still think of Silicon Valley when they hear the phrase “tech industry,” but a number of other areas throughout the country are tech innovators as well. One of those centers is Austin, Texas. A thriving tech community has been growing there for at least two decades.
A tech and startup community needs a few ingredients to be successful. These include a spirit of innovation, a high level of education and ready access to plenty of cash. Austin has all of these.
Its innovation is mirrored in a vibrant arts culture that includes film and music as well as the popular South by Southwest Festival that covers everything from music to film to technology and more. This also gives the area a cultural cachet that makes it an attractive relocation destination for workers fleeing the headaches and high cost of living in places like California and New York. Talented tech people have the opportunity in Austin to continue doing work that engages them in a city with much to offer and with a potentially higher quality of life due to the cheaper costs of housing and other necessities. This has served as a lure to professionals from both coasts.
Big tech corporations like Dell, Apple and IBM as well as the University of Texas supply the brains needed, and exciting young startups such as Taskbox, GameSalad, OutboundEngine and more offer opportunities to work on the cutting edge of the industry. The state of Texas is committed to technology development as well, and the $19 billion in incentives it offers outpaces that of every other state. As part of those incentives, the Emerging Technology Fund offers grants for recruitment, partnerships and product development. Tens of thousands of jobs have been created as a result.
Private investment is strong in the area as well, and the Central Texas Angel Network is eager to support exciting entrepreneurs. A number of other venture capitalists are active along with roughly 15 incubators and accelerators. Currently, technology jobs make up more than one-quarter of all jobs in Austin.
Recognized as one of the top cities in the United States for venture capitalists, state support for technology, entrepreneurship and more, Austin is now the recipient of another honor and a boost for its economy. Google has partnered with Austin incubator Capital Factory and named the city its eighth tech hub. This means even more resources flooding into Austin including connections with Google’s other tech hubs and product discounts.
Everyone has heard of Silicon Valley, but within the next few years, more and more people may be as familiar with Silicon Hills. Inspired by the hills outside of the city, it’s the local name for Austin’s tech community. All of the ingredients are in place for Austin to continue in its tech ascendency. Ambitious entrepreneurs and bright tech industry workers can now look beyond the traditional locales to places like Austin for some of the most interesting and exciting opportunities heading into the future.
Austin Powered! was originally published on El Dorado SEO
