Silicon Valley set the gold standard for tech hubs worldwide in the last decade. But as the cost of living and doing business in California continues to rise, tech workers and entrepreneurs are increasingly looking for new places to call home. So, where will the following big tech hubs spring up?
How can we predict which cities will tech hubs become?
A city’s attractiveness to tech workers and businesses depends on a few factors. First, it needs to be a large pool of talented workers, affordable living and business expenses, and have a vital infrastructure for supporting tech businesses, including a robust internet connection and ample funding opportunities.
Based on these factors, here are five cities that are likely to become the following big tech hubs:
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta has emerged as a leading center for tech innovation in recent years. With a large pool of talented workers and an affordable cost of living, it’s no wonder that Atlanta has been dubbed “the Silicon Valley of the South.” The city has a strong infrastructure for supporting tech businesses, including a robust internet connection and ample funding opportunities.
Additionally, Atlanta is home to several top-ranked universities, including Georgia Tech, which produces some of the best engineers in the country. Not only are they some of the best, but they are also some of the most diverse. This quality is reflected across the blockchain, health tech, and software startups exploding out of the city.
Boston, MA
Boston is another city with a large pool of talented workers and an affordable cost of living. In addition, the city has a strong infrastructure for supporting tech businesses, including a robust internet connection and ample funding opportunities.
Boston is also home to several top-ranked universities, including Harvard and MIT. These schools are responsible for spawning some of the world’s most innovative tech companies, such as Google and Facebook. They are also responsible for generating some of the most creative talents that keep these companies top.
Austin, TX
Austin is a city that is quickly gaining popularity among tech workers and entrepreneurs. With an affordable cost of living and robust infrastructure for supporting tech businesses (including no personal income tax and low corporate taxation), it is no surprise that individuals and businesses are leaving San Francisco and heading to Austin.
Austin has already seen its cost of living rise dramatically in recent years as the city becomes more popular. But with its large pool of talented workers and ample funding opportunities, Austin is likely to maintain its status as a leading tech hub for many years to come.
Denver, CO
Across several different niche tech industries, Denver is quickly establishing a foothold as a leading tech hub. With a large population of talented workers, affordable living, and robust infrastructure for supporting tech businesses, Denver is quickly becoming the go-to city for startups and young companies.
In addition to its attractiveness as a place to do business, Denver also has a lot to offer in terms of quality of life. An abundance of outdoor activities, a thriving arts scene and a welcoming and inclusive community make Denver an attractive place to live for tech workers and their families.
These are just a few of the many cities likely to become leading tech hubs in the years ahead. By examining these and other cities, we can better understand where the next big tech innovations will come from.