5 Reasons Entrepreneurs Should Move to Austin
Austin, Texas has long been home to vibrant counterculture. The city’s slogan “Keeping it Weird” reflects its community of artists, musicians, foodies, students and small business owners. It’s currently the fastest-growing city in the US, and it’s one of the best cities for entrepreneurs looking to start their own business. Let’s go through the top 5 reasons entrepreneurs should move to Austin.
It’s Home to Top Tech Companies
Austin’s high quality of life, young workforce, and pro-business local government make it an attractive spot for businesses. In recent years, dozens of tech companies have opened corporate and regional headquarters in the area, including Apple, Facebook and Oracle. It’s not just tech companies either. Companies like Whole Foods and Home Depot also call Austin home. Living in Austin, you’ll be surrounded by forward-thinking companies and a thriving job market.
It’s a University Town
There’s something different about university towns. The energy is more energetic, trendy and youthful. Named the Best College Town in America, Austin is centered around the University of Texas at Austin. Touted as a “Public Ivy”, the institution is one of the top research programs in the world, with faculty including Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize and Turing Award recipients. The university graduates roughly 12,500 students per year, and alumni have founded 65 startups in the past 10 years, 53 of which call Texas home. Living in Austin, you’ll have an exciting group of young professionals to network with.
Prices are Cheaper than Silicon Valley
In Austin, you really get the most bang for your buck. Austin has been mentioned in Bloomberg, Forbes and Business Insider as “the next Silicon Valley”, and now is the perfect time to jump on that opportunity. Austin, Texas has the highest density of startups of any American city, beating out Silicon Valley, and ranks high with tech employment and solo business growth. The city’s economic development initiatives, low rent prices, and thriving workforce have made many startups choose here instead of the more pricey Silicon Valley.
It Hosts Big Events
Austin has long been home to top festivals and events. Most famous are music festivals like SXSW and Austin City Limits, and Austin is also hosting the Formula 1 US Grand Prix. Add that to smaller festivals like the Austin Film Festival, the Urban Music Festival and Rodeo Austin, there’s no shortage of new events. Not only will this mean you’ll always have new entertainment in the city, you’ll also get a host of visitors coming to the city, offering new networking opportunities.
The Entrepreneur Community is Strong
Austin is committed to being a place for small businesses and startups, and that’s evident in the many communities around the city. Austin or (Silicon Hills) as it is known, is home to 5,500 Startup and Tech companies, the largest in Texas. Austin Startups raised over $900 Million in Capital in 2017, with that figure growing every year. The government-funded Entrepreneur Center of Austin offers workshops and training for business owners as part of their Small Business Programs. There’s also local organizations like Girls in Tech Austin and the Austin Startup Meetup, committed to providing resources for local companies. Companies like Draper Startup House help provide new business with investors, education and community. Overall, Austin is teeming with opportunities and supportive colleagues for entrepreneurs just starting their own business.
Draper Startup House’s mission is to provide every entrepreneur in the world the same access to tools and resources that historically have primarily only been in Silicon Valley. We’re not your typical accelerator. DSH is scouring the globe to find game-changing founders at the earliest stage, building industry-transforming companies. Founders will be pushed to their limits mentally and physically, only to come out the other end stronger and better prepared to tackle the challenges of creating an extraordinary business. Startup founders will leave with a toolbelt of resources, knowledge, and connections to continue to thrive after a one-of-a-kind accelerator experience. We invest up to $100k in the earliest stage startups. We look for: Exceptional People, Extraordinary & out of the box ideas. We pride ourselves on bringing the resources and tools of Silicon Valley to the rest of the world. Our 2022 Accelerator Cohorts will be in Austin, TX.
