Startup communities are expanding beyond Silicon Valley. The best cities are those with a glut of investors and a vibrant scene to attract young entrepreneurs.

1. Alternative Tech Hubs
by Scott Leese

2. Startup communities are expanding beyond Silicon Valley.
The best cities are those with a glut of investors and a
vibrant scene to attract young entrepreneurs. It helps to
have universities in the area with good computer science
and business programs. Startups can draw upon student
populations for talent, and graduates are finding that
starting your own company may be a good option given
the current job market. Current players include Austin,
Denver, and the Raleigh-Durham “triangle”—home to Duke
University, the University of North Carolina, and North
Carolina State University.

3. A city has to have the right balance of venture capital yet
be affordable enough to keep the risk of innovation low.
City tax breaks and lower costs of living are slowly
encouraging a migration away from the west coast.
Proximity to established giants also helps. The presence of
Microsoft and Amazon’s brand new campus give Seattle a
solid footing as a tech center.

4. Keep an eye on the rust belt cities of Detroit, Pittsburgh,
and Chicago as they work to reinvent themselves as east
coast leaders. Pittsburgh has an impressive Google outpost
and draws on talent from Carnegie Mellon University, a
leader in interdisciplinary research. Networking events,
innovation summits, and incubator programs contribute to
a fertile technological climate in many of these
alternatives to Silicon Valley.

5. Scott Leese has lived in
both San Francisco and
Austin. He is passionate
about early-stage
startups.