What's the Silicon Valley of Austin?

[hound 109]

Did I type "silicone hills"? Oops.

At least I typed it correctly (silicon) once.


hound <---- kind of likes the word "gulch".

[LanceD]

There are few things that would make the silicon valley the silicon valley:
1. Concentration of big tech companies
2. Concentration of big venture capital
3. Hence, it is a very good environment for start-up

As far as Austin goes:
1. There are many well-know, major tech companies in Austin: Google, Apple, Qualcomm, Intel, Samsung, Freescale, IBM, AMD, Mediatek to name a few. However, these offices, I would said, are satellite offices with much fewer # of employees compare to SV.
2. There are also many venture capital firms, but I don't think you can easily find people who are willing to provide angel funds for start-ups. Basically, start-up fund is not as readily available as in SV.
3. Start-ups are putting up shops here and is growing. Event such as SXSW and other tech conferences are starting to come to Austin.

In short, Austin is a big attraction for tech companies and is the closest to SV in the U.S in term of tech entrepreneurs. Dallas is a major financial hub. Used to be known as "telecom corridor", but not any more. As an insider of the tech industry who moved here from Dallas, I can tell you that if you are not into starting your own company, Austin is a VERY GOOD place to work/live. Salary here are very high (compatible to California). In fact, many big tech companies are opening offices here because they can't get people to move to California. Given a choice between California (SD or SJ) and Austin, many came here.

[hoffdano]

When someone says "satellite" office I think of a small facility in a location far from headquarters. That is probably true of Google, Intel, and Apple. But the AMD facility is an example of a large research and manufacturing facility. It ain't no satellite. It is a space station. Samsung is similarly large. IBM is larger in Austin than many people know. It was the original home of OS/2 and is still the home for IBM's Unix based software and systems.

[Moonlady]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

When someone says "satellite" office I think of a small facility in a location far from headquarters. That is probably true of Google, Intel, and Apple. But the AMD facility is an example of a large research and manufacturing facility. It ain't no satellite. It is a space station. Samsung is similarly large. IBM is larger in Austin than many people know. It was the original home of OS/2 and is still the home for IBM's Unix based software and systems.

Respectfully disagree about Apple. Once the new campus is complete, there will be in the neighborhood of 3600 employees. I think that goes a little beyond satellite as well.

Apple's New Operations Campus in Austin, Texas Taking Shape - Mac Rumors

[Trainwreck20]

Samsung, Freescale, IBM, AMD

Yeah, don't know how many employees they have in Silicon Valley (some may have more than Austin), but those are far from 'satellite' offices, or at least what I think of satellite. I don't usually equate major manufacturing operations with 'satellite'.

[buffettjr]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

Dunno about that - plenty of silicone out at that cougar bar in the Steiner Ranch Steakhouse.

R.I.P. Cool River Cafe, long Live Steiner Ranch Steakhouse.

[LanceD]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Yeah, don't know how many employees they have in Silicon Valley (some may have more than Austin), but those are far from 'satellite' offices, or at least what I think of satellite. I don't usually equate major manufacturing operations with 'satellite'.

Perhaps there is a better words for that, but to me, anything not head-quarter is satellite. Doesn't mean they are small.

BTW, I don't count manufacturing job (such as Samsung fab) toward comparison with SV. SV is well known for their high-tech R&D center, not manufacturing. All those companies I mentioned have R&D center here, but most of them (-AMD -freescale) are smaller than that in SV.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by LanceD

All those companies I mentioned have R&D center here, but most of them (-AMD -freescale) are smaller than that in SV.

Freescale's world headquarters are in Oak Hill. If anything, San Jose is a satellite of Austin.

[LanceD]

Originally Posted by scm53

Freescale's world headquarters are in Oak Hill. If anything, San Jose is a satellite of Austin.

(-AMD -Freescale)