Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C. 

This area of North Carolina is one of the South’s most educated regions. Within a small radius, Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina are surrounded by some of the finest universities in the South, including Duke University. Additionally, Chapel Hill has one of the finest public school systems in the American South. In Chapel Hill, building permits have increased exponentially in commercial building over the last 15 years. Durham, home of Duke University, is also called the “City of Medicine.” 

 

Louisville, Ky. 

With a high quality of life and low cost of doing business, Louisville offers a vibrant startup scene with resources like LEAP and several innovation centers. Like Memphis with its FedEx hub, Louisville is home to UPS’ Worldport. Also home to Humana and the University of Louisville, Kentucky’s largest market is a dream for startups. 

 

Lexington, Ky. 

Lexington is a fantastic startup market and home to the University of Kentucky. We have known Bob Quick as long as he has been the CEO of Commerce Lexington, which started in 2001. As for his No. 1 cohort in recruitment, we have known Gina Greathouse, EVP of economic development for what was the Lexington Chamber and now Commerce Lexington, for almost her 30-year career in Lexington. Both make a great team. 

 

Plano, Texas

When you successfully capture Japanese automaker Toyota’s North American headquarters, which Plano did in April of 2014, you better be an outstanding startup market. 

 

 

 

 

Oklahoma City, Okla. 

We have already named Oklahoma City as a great place for California companies to relocate their headquarters in the South. Yet, OKC is a fine location for startups and is a vibrant tech hub. In 2023, 120 startups were launched in OKC representing $4.2 billion to the local GDP. 

 

Huntsville, Ala.

This recognition for Huntsville as one of the South’s best startup markets is a given to me. After all, for all practical purposes, rockets in the early 1950s and all kinds of “Secret Squirrel Stuff” was practically invented in Huntsville. 

 

 

Midland, Texas

Midland has emerged as a thriving tech hub with a 17.7 percent rise in tech job growth. Midland, Texas might sound like a random spot for a tech hub, but this city is in the middle of the Permian Basin and is seriously blowing up with innovation and startup activities. In 2021, Midland ranked in the top 10 metro areas nationwide for tech job growth, led by deals from Microsoft, Amazon and Google. 

 

Chattanooga, Tenn. 

Considered one of the South’s most progressive and active startup markets, Chattanooga began long ago recruiting creatives through housing incentives, and it worked. Paducah, Ky., and Chattanooga were forerunners in knowing that economic development and community development are essentially merging with equal importance. That is certainly the case today. 

In the age of a dearth of workers, Chattanooga has successfully created a great startup market by being one of the first to understand that these days; you cannot have economic development with a population that is not growing. Here is an example: One day in 2022, over 10,000 U.S. citizens turned 65 while only 1,000 turned working age (16). 

 

Bentonville, Ark. 

Like some small markets in the South, Bentonville is home to one of the largest employers in the world, and that would be the world’s largest retailer, Walmart. Bentonville is part of the thriving Northwest Arkansas scene, which includes Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas. 

 

New Orleans, La. 

Known for its port on the Mississippi River, this old town caught our attention shortly after Hurricane Katrina. Back then SB&D made a commitment to participate in not only helping New Orleans, but also Lake Charles, which, three weeks later was hit by Hurricane Rita. New Orleans Inc., headed up by Michael Hecht, launched in 2004. Hecht and GNO Inc. have turned New Orleans around through landing some really large innovation projects. 

 

Lafayette, La. 

This startup market is in the center of Cajun Country. Gregg Gothreaux was CEO at the Lafayette Economic Development Authority for 26 years and built a nice beachhead of tech companies there. Today, Mandi Mitchell is CEO of LEDA and has picked up where Gregg stopped with his recent retirement.