Скачать или смотреть Austin Leads Startups — Strong Foundations

A new national report from CommercialCafe places Austin at the top of the list for starting a new business among U.S. cities with populations between 500,000 and one million. The ranking looks beyond buzz and focuses on how well a city supports early-stage companies over time.

Austin stood out for the share of startups within its local economy and for sustained growth between 2019 and 2023. About 12 percent of all businesses in the city are startups less than a year old, and roughly two-thirds of those businesses are still operating up to five years later. That kind of survival rate points to a business environment that supports steady development rather than short-term spikes.

Education and support systems played a major role in the ranking. Austin scored highly for its concentration of college-educated residents and consulting firms, both of which help new businesses navigate early challenges. The city also shows unusual strength in creative and tech-led funding, with more than half of Austin-based Kickstarter campaigns successfully reaching their goals over time.

Freelancers are another key part of the picture. Austin’s independent workforce grew steadily over the last several years, providing startups with flexible access to specialized skills without long-term overhead. This structure supports experimentation and scaling, especially in technology, design, and professional services.

The report also notes tradeoffs. Office space costs in Austin remain high, pushing many startups toward coworking spaces or hybrid work models. That shift reflects how entrepreneurship here is shaped as much by real estate and infrastructure as by talent and capital.

Taken together, the findings show why Austin continues to attract founders. The city’s startup strength comes from systems that support growth, adaptability, and long-term stability, which ultimately feed into broader economic resilience and quality of life across Central Texas.