A Brief History Of Austins Technology Scene

Austin, Texas, is one of the most vibrant tech hubs in the United States and it owes a lot to an organization formed over 60 years ago.

Texas is well known for its oil. While the likes of Houston and Dallas owe much of their economic prosperity to discoveries of black gold, Austin has taken a different path to becoming one of the most important cities in the state, and the country.

Austin is among the many cities vying for a place at the top table of technology in the United States. The undisputed champion of tech is, of course, Silicon Valley in California, but many other cities, like New York City and Chicago, are attempting to forge a reputation as technology hubs. Austin, however, is ahead of most of them.

The city’s ambitions to be an important location for the technology industry began in 1957, according to a report titled A History of High Tech and Technopolis in Austin. Back in the ’50s, a group of private leaders established the Austin Area Economic Development Foundation, which sought to attract companies manufacturing electrical and scientific equipment.

In 1977, the University of Texas set up its IC2 Institute, as a “think-and-do tank” that aspired to create regional economic development through technological innovation. The institute has since researched entrepreneurial wealth creation and has helped grow Austin as an innovation and technology center.

Microelectronics and Computer Consortium (MCC) started operating in Austin in 1982, and Dell moved to the city in 1984. In 1989, the IC2 Institute launched the Austin Technology Incubator, which has helped Austin-based technology start-ups add nearly $1 billion (£756,905,000) in economic value to the area and create approximately 7,000 jobs.

Since then, low state taxes and the relative low cost of living have attracted countless entrepreneurs, who presumably also appreciate the fact there is no personal income tax in the state.

In 2016, Austin was named the top destination in the CNBC Metro 20: America’s Best Places To Start a Business, which evaluated the cost of doing business, quality of life, labor force and diversity.

Austin hosts the South by Southwest festival which, besides showcasing the best of music and film, also attracts a large number of start-ups every year in its interactive media segment. The festival was credited with giving Twitter the boost it needed to achieve fame and success in 2007, while the likes of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk have been interviewed on stage.

Austin has achieved its goals of becoming a major technology hub, thanks in part to the efforts of a group formed over 60 years ago. Now it looks set to grow rapidly in the future.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.