Best city to launch a tech startup other than the Bay area? (live, cost)

[Avdaabdullah]

Hello, I'm a 24 year old college graduate in CS who lives in Philadelphia, and I'm looking for the best place to launch a tech startup (Specifically in hardware/IoT). My main choices as of now other than the Bay area are as following: Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Denver, Salt lake city, Chicago, Manchester, Portland, Seattle, Phoenix and Nashville. My criteria are as following
-Cost of living

-Tax rates

-Startup environment

-Access to VCs

-Nightlife

-Entertainment

-Food

-Economic prospects

-Weather

-Politics (Socially liberal, fiscally conservative/libertarian)

[ckhthankgod]

Another potential option: National spotlight shines on Ithaca's growing startup scene


Rev: Ithaca Startup Works


Join the Ithaca, NY tech and startup community | NextPlex

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Take this with a grain of salt, but I would choose LA and Phoenix off that list

[TitanRam]

St. Louis and Omaha are considered to be the new up and coming big dogs

[NativeOrange]

Originally Posted by TitanRam

St. Louis and Omaha are considered to be the new up and coming big dogs

Without a massive educated workforce, I highly doubt it. Just another few locales out of 100's claiming to be the next Silicon Valley.

[TitanRam]

Originally Posted by NativeOrange

Without a massive educated workforce, I highly doubt it. Just another few locales out of 100's claiming to be the next Silicon Valley.

Can't speak for Omaha, but St. Louis does have a highly educated workforce. With that said, most of the tech startup scene has been transplants relocating to St. Louis for the low cost of starting up a business. This is one article that shows a little bit of what I'm talking about - US cities with fastest-growing startup scenes - Business Insider

Obviously that only scratches the surface, but your doubts are unfounded

[bawac34618]

I would say Austin, Denver, Portland, or Seattle.

[Southshorebound]

You're going to get a lot of homer responses. I vote Austin - it's a great place and it seems like what you are looking for

[mhays25]

There's a big difference between places that can nurture a startup and places that can help a company become huge.

Seattle is only moderately successful at startups, but grows new giants. The ability to recruit talent is a big part of that.

[edwardsyzzurphands]

I work for a start up incubator and deal with this quite often. My quick "best" in each category from your list:

-Cost of living: Nashville? Guessing on this one

-Tax rates: Manchester

-Startup environment: Boston

-Access to VC's: Boston

-Nightlife: NYC

-Entertainment: NYC

-Food: NYC

-Economic prospects: Boston

-Weather: Subjective

-Politics (Socially liberal, fiscally conservative/libertarian): Manchester