04 — Austin, Texas, USA.

TGNA Foresight Score: 81 · ▲ Ascending

The signal: Austin's tech workforce grew 29.1% between 2018 and 2023, the highest growth rate recorded for any U.S. tech market and has maintained a top-five position in CBRE's North American Tech Talent ranking for two years, with 51.4% of its tech workers employed directly.

Signs: Austin startups raised $4.5 billion in venture capital across 487 deals in 2024 with AI, cybersecurity, and data infrastructure as the primary growth sectors. The city leads in population growth among college-educated professionals with inbound talent migration sustaining workforce expansion.

Events: The city added 28,500 nonfarm jobs in 2024, a 2.1% growth rate ranking it 5th fastest among all large U.S. cities. Also, Tesla's Gigafactory Texas employs over 20,000 workers in Austin and continues to expand production capacity in advanced manufacturing and robotics.

Trends: Companies that came for the cost advantage stayed for the talent, and the talent keeps arriving because there are opportunities available. The city is deep enough in its tech cycle that it is generating its own momentum rather than depending on migration alone.

Drivers: A tier-1 research university, a zero income tax environment and a regulatory culture that treats business formation as a civic priority, all within a state that has made economic competitiveness a generational political commitment. The presence of Apple, Tesla, Oracle, Dell, Google, and Meta creates an important density of capital.

Federico Quinzaños

Founder - The Grand North America