Innovation and Smart Cities
Keeping downtown Austin the epicenter of a world-class innovation ecosystem
In Austin’s Innovation District, universities, researchers, companies, non-profits, investors, entrepeneurs and incubators are working side by side to create a healthier and more prosperous, equitable and resilient future through innovation.
The district’s anchor, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, is transforming healthcare delivery and training the physicians of the future to focus on person-centered, multidisciplinary care. Businesses like Tesla, Indeed, Google, Apple and Bumble are leveraging Austin’s renowned talent in the technology, health care and life sciences fields to make positive impacts in Central Texas communities and beyond.
Austin's Innovation District
Austin’s Innovation District connects the innovators who are designing, shaping and funding the most promising solutions that address unmet needs. They collaborate with strategic community and industry partners to identify, develop and execute viable commercialization plans.
Learn More⟶Smart Cities
Nationally recognized companies such as Google, Facebook and Indeed have continued to locate downtown, choosing to pay a premium to gain unfettered access to one of the nation’s best talent pools — and to offer employees the unique perk of working downtown. Several "Smart City" efforts continue to spring up in Austin as many start-ups, venture capitalist firms, research and patent technologies have a presence downtown.
Downtown Innovators
Army Futures Command
The U.S. Army selected Austin as the place where they will lead the charge on innovation through its Army Futures Command. This unit will modernize the way the Army does business by creating a place to explore, develop, and test new methods, organizations, and technologies.
Visit Website⟶Austin Technology Council
The Austin Technology Council (ATC) is the leading unifying voice of technology in Central Texas. Since 1992, ATC has been the informed opinion leader, providing our member companies with the insights, resources and connections they need to grow and thrive.
Visit Website⟶Austin Technology Incubator
Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) is a deep tech incubator affiliated with The University of Texas at Austin that serves student and faculty entrepreneurs and community founding teams to explore deep technology solutions that address the world’s challenges.
Visit Website⟶Capital Factory
This downtown incubator connects entrepreneurs in Texas with investors, employees and customers. It's also a co-working space and an opportunity to find tech mentors.
Visit Website⟶Opportunity Austin
This program of the Austin Chamber is a regional economic development initiative aimed at boosting economic diversification to proactively strengthen the economy, deepen the talent pool through development and attraction, and helping to keep the Austin region attractive to entrepreneurs, business leaders, and site selectors.
Visit Website⟶Texas Innovation Center
The Texas Innovation Center is the hub at The University of Texas at Austin for bringing engineering and science discoveries and technologies to the market.
Visit Website⟶Photo credit: Gensler and 2033 Higher Education Development Foundation