The boom of disruptive technologies and new business models have afforded entrepreneurs many opportunities to pursue their dreams of starting a company. If you can’t decide where to plant your flag and start your own business, here are several of the best cities in the U.S. where your startup can surely thrive.
San Francisco, California
In terms of investment capital, revenue, and having the talents that direct the development of disruptive new technologies in America, San Francisco’s Silicon Valley has not slowed down at all. For new entrepreneurs, this is of course a double-edged dagger – a recipe for lots of opportunity as well as elite competition. Apart from the hardware and software companies that rule this valley, the city of San Francisco is also a well-known hub of innovative business ideas. Deskmag recalls how the first official coworking space was started here back in 2005. This workspace model has since grown out of the city into a worldwide phenomenon – much like many of the enterprises and products that have originated from Silicon Valley.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas has many places where your business can take root. Coworking spaces here are aplenty, giving you the opportunity to easily get your team going. Many of the coworking spaces are also situated in the most active areas for business, with the Industrious Kansas City branch located in the Country Club Plaza, the city’s top commercial and retail district. Furthermore, with a startup density of 9.2% and about 10% of the workforce being categorized as self-employed workers, Kansas City has in recent years transformed into a metropolis where entrepreneurs can thrive. Tech enterprises, in particular, have found great success in KC, which is how it earned the nickname Silicon Prairie. If you’re a tech company in search of flexible workspaces to customize each part of your scaling strategy, you could do a lot worse than Kansas City.
New York City, New York
Consistently ranking among lists of the best cities for startups, New York is well-known for having a large amount of venture capital, a leading tech ecosystem, and a culture that embraces its workforce’s diversity. The Tech Advocate notes how NYC continues to be a hub for budding fashion and financial technology brands, adding that the supportive entrepreneurial tech community in the city is always ready to lend a helping hand to new businesses. Much like in San Francisco, the rent, living expenses, and availability of coworking spaces here reflect the city’s high potential for new business profitability.
Seattle, Washington
Earlier this year, Entrepreneur named Seattle as the top city for small new businesses. The reason is its high number of successful small startups. In this city, over 95% of businesses have less than 250 employees. About 70% of these businesses earn less than $1 million in annual revenue and have also been consistently profitable. This is due to Seattle’s combination of business opportunities and comparatively affordable daily living expenses – resulting in a highly conducive environment for frugal, fledgling businesses to thrive.
Denver, Colorado
The city of Denver is right next to Seattle in Entrepreneur’s list of top cities for small businesses. For this city, the reason is the diversity of its quickly growing industries. Startups who want to break into the industries of healthcare, telecommunications, financial technology, biosciences, IT software, and even aerospace will find many existing opportunities in the Mile-High City. In addition, you might meet potential investors during the annual Denver Startup Week, which is slated for September in 2020. These are just some of the cities in the U.S. where your startup can plant its flag and establish a home. Whichever industry you want to participate in, there’s definitely no shortage of places where your unique product, business model, app, or technology can thrive.