Whether you're starting up a brand new business or opening a new location in the United States, these are the top 10 places to run a company in America - according to startup specialists Startup Genome.
No. 1 - Austin Texas
The state capital and fourth largest city in Texas is world renowned for its trendy nightlife, cosmopolitan atmosphere and live music scene. In recent years it's also become a magnet for entrepreneurs and well-educated graduates. Thanks to a combination of beautiful weather, a respected university, lively culture plus a reasonable cost of living, the city has been successfully luring people away from other major tech & innovation hubs such as California's famous Silicon Valley.
Heavyweight tech companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Dropbox all have offices here, plus Apple is planning to expand its Austin operation with a new campus that could house 15,000 new employees. And that's before we even mention the likes of Dell, Whole Foods, and Trilogy Software - all Austin born companies that have been attracting talent for decades.
The famous South by Southwest festival has also done wonders for the city's international image, especially among young professionals. Add all of the above together and you've got the perfect environment for startups to thrive!
No. 2 - Salt Lake City, Utah
Vivint, Domo, Ancestry.com and Omniture are just a few huge firms that call Salt Lake City home. Nestled in between the Great Salt Lake and the Wasatch mountain range in the American west, the city is popular with adventurous & outdoorsy types and has a younger than average age demographic.
The area is also a lot more affordable to live in than other business hubs. Combine this with generous business laws, famous universities and a church-influenced culture that encourages education & ambition, and you've got a recipe for business success.
Tech giants such as Adobe, Electronic Arts, and Oracle all have offices in the so-called 'Silicon Slopes'.
No. 3 - Raleigh, North Carolina
According to research from personal finance firm WalletHub, Raleigh has the fourth most educated workforce in the country - ahead of San Francisco - with around 47% of the local talent pool holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
Once a textile and tobacco town, the state capital has transformed itself into a thriving hub for science, tech and engineering companies.
No. 4 - Nashville, Tennessee
When you hear the name Nashville, you no doubt think about country music and the Bible Belt. And while the city does indeed have a thriving music scene, its biggest industry is in fact healthcare - 6 of thew country's 10 biggest for-profit hospital chains have their headquarters here, along with hundreds of major healthcare companies.
Nashville also has an impressive 20 colleges and universities.
No. 5 - San Francisco, California
Thanks to advancements in cloud computing, tech companies are no longer tied to huge server farms like they were in the past, and have started migrating away from Silicon Valley as a result.
Sitting around 50 miles north of said Silicon Valley, San Francisco is home to tech powerhouses such as Uber, Airbnb, and Slack.
Living in the trendy, vibrant city doesn't come cheap however, which is why it has ranked lower than others on this list.
No. 6 - San Jose, California
Apple. Facebook. Google. Three of the world's biggest tech firms call San Jose home, right in the heart of the famous Silicon Valley.
Unfortunately, the lure of these tech companies means that the area has a crippling lack of housing and office space, pushing prices through the roof.
No. 7 - San Diego, California
While its California neighbours are dominating the tech & software business, San Diego is a mecca for science and aerospace firms.
The University of California San Diego campus and a number of nearby military bases make fertile ground for science and engineering success. Pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline is just one of the giants based here.
No. 8 - Denver, Colorado
A popular destination for young people moving away from home, Denver is a booming hub for innovation. While the legal cannabis industry does account for a small portion of new businesses, most of the city's recent growth has come from tech, machine learning and blockchain.
No. 9 - Orlando, Florida
You might assume that Orlando's economy is mostly driven by tourism, but the city is quickly becoming a hub for science & tech companies - with over 200 aerospace and aviation companies calling Orlando home.
No. 10 - Portland, Oregon
The birthplace of Nike, a haven for food enthusiasts, and another city that has recently legalised cannabis - Portland is a trendy city that attracts many young people looking to relocate. But its main industries are a little less sexy - construction, healthcare and electronics manufacturing.
