How Austin Became a Tech Hub

IBM came to Austin in 1967. Texas Instruments followed in 1969 and Motorola in 1974. By the early 1990s, about 400 high-tech companies operated in the metro area. State government jobs and University of Texas research helped anchor the economy alongside the tech firms.

This mix of government, higher education, and industry gave Austin a strong base. Dell Computer was founded in Austin in 1984 and added to the region's name recognition. Travis County's population grew from about 111,000 in 1940 to more than 1.1 million by the early 2010s. Growth has kept going since then.