Why Dallas is a great place to launch a startup

In the world of startups and innovation, a few cities tend to dominate the conversation: San Francisco, New York, Boston, and more recently, Austin, Texas. But there’s another Texas gem that’s been quietly proving naysayers wrong: Dallas.

Contrary to the prevailing narrative, Dallas is not only a great place to launch a startup; it’s often an even better choice than its more famous Texan cousin, Austin.

The Dallas business environment

The first point in Dallas’ favor is the sheer scale of the business ecosystem in DFW. There are 23 Fortune 500 companies that have their headquarters in the DFW metroplex. This includes giants like AT&T, ExxonMobil, Texas Instruments, American Airlines, Comerica, and Southwest Airlines. Over 65,000 businesses call the City of Dallas home with 656 total headquarters operations that employ at least 1,000 globally. The presence of these corporate behemoths provides a fertile ground for partnerships, mentorship, and funding opportunities for budding entrepreneurs.

But startups need more than just large companies to thrive — they require an ecosystem that supports early-stage companies. That’s where Dallas truly shines.

The Dallas startup ecosystem

Dallas boasts a growing number of startup accelerators and incubators. Tech Wildcatters, for example, has been ranked among the top accelerators in the U.S., offering a 12-week mentor-driven program. Dallas Innovates, a collaboration between D Magazine Partners and the Dallas Regional Chamber, is another initiative that helps startups connect, grow, and make their mark.

DFW also hosts a branch of Capital Factory, one of the most prominent startup accelerators in Texas. While the organization’s roots are in Austin, their DFW branch underlines the region’s importance in the startup scene. It provides local startups with access to investors, mentors, and a co-working space, all of which helps nurture a community of innovation and creativity.

Moreover, the metroplex is also home to the DEC Network, an organization that aids entrepreneurs in starting, building, and growing companies through education, mentorship, and community.

The startup-friendly environment in DFW is further fueled by the presence of numerous venture capital firms, such as Interlock Partners, Perot Jain, and RevTech Ventures, providing critical funding and mentorship to nascent companies.

Dallas the city

From a practical standpoint, Dallas also excels in offering a lower cost of living compared to Austin, let alone other major startup hubs like San Francisco or New York City. This means lower operational costs for startups and a higher quality of life for their employees.

Another point in Dallas’ favor is its central location and superb connectivity, thanks to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. This allows for easy travel to both coasts and numerous direct international destinations — a factor that shouldn’t be underestimated in an increasingly globalized business landscape.

Dallas also boasts a robust talent pool. With universities like Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at Dallas, and Texas Christian University, DFW is teeming with young, tech-savvy graduates ready to join the startup world.

While Austin may get a lot of the Texas limelight, the startup scene in Dallas-Ft. Worth is not just alive and well, but thriving. With a supportive ecosystem of accelerators, incubators, and venture capitalists, a lower cost of living, superb connectivity, and a vibrant talent pool, DFW is an excellent place to launch a startup. The city’s landscape is ripe for innovation, and its resources are vast. It’s high time we acknowledge that DFW is not just a worthy contender, but indeed a powerhouse in the world of startups.