Atlanta is one of the best cities in the country for startup companies, according to a joint analysis from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, 1776 and Free Enterprise. And it has room to improve further.
“We are at the dawn of an extraordinary technological revolution, and it is transforming every part of the U.S. economy,” the report read. “In major commerce centers, yesterday’s expertise will not guarantee tomorrow’s economic wins.”
Ranked No. 21 for startups nationwide, Atlanta’s makeup proved ideal for entrepreneurs, offering advantages such as engaged universities, civic institutions and strong investor activity. However, the report also outlined some of the city’s weak points.
Entrepreneurs in Atlanta face a “challenging regulatory environment,” and investors have been slow to sign on to the “new wave of digitization.” But the resistors dampening the pace of progress in the city are remnants of an older façade. Trends in Millennial population growth and available tech skills sign further advancement for Atlanta’s startup culture.
The shift bodes well for real estate agents hoping to make the eventual jump from contract employee to brokerage owner.
Check out the table below to see how our city compares:
City | Overall Rank | Talent | Density | Culture |
---|---|---|---|---|
Boston | 1 | 8 | 1 | 4 |
Bay Area | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
Denver | 3 | 2 | 9 | 3 |
Raleigh-Durham | 4 | 5 | 7 | 1 |
San Diego | 5 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
Austin | 6 | 5 | 9 | 5 |
Los Angeles | 7 | 20 | 5 | 16 |
Philadelphia | 8 | 18 | 4 | 15 |
Washington, D.C. | 9 | 7 | 7 | 18 |
New York City | 10 | 11 | 11 | 20 |
Seattle | 11 | 4 | 14 | 22 |
Chicago | 12 | 22 | 6 | 22 |
Portland | 13 | 10 | 14 | 5 |
Pittsburgh | 14 | 13 | 19 | 12 |
Nashville | 15 | 14 | 12 | 7 |
Minneapolis | 16 | 14 | 12 | 24 |
Salt Lake City | 17 | 12 | 17 | 14 |
Baltimore | 18 | 9 | 19 | 21 |
Dallas | 19 | 16 | 18 | 2 |
Houston | 20 | 16 | 24 | 13 |
Atlanta | 21 | 21 | 21 | 7 |
Miami | 22 | 23 | 14 | 8 |
Phoenix | 23 | 24 | 25 | 9 |
Kansas City | 24 | 25 | 23 | 19 |
New Orleans | 25 | 19 | 22 | N/A |