Tech hubs across the United States are experiencing an identity shift. Traditional powerhouses are losing some of their appeal for top tech talent, while smaller and up-and-coming metro areas are attracting renewed attention. This is according to research from the Burning Glass Institute.
That’s the finding of new research from the Burning Glass Institute, whose ranking of The Most Cutting-Edge Cities in the U.S. highlights both well-known tech centers like San Francisco and the Bay Area, as well as cities not typically associated with high-tech innovation, such as Miami, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh.
Seattle leads the pack, taking the #1 spot for both Cutting-Edge Skills and Momentum, and topping the 2023 list of The Most Cutting-Edge Large Cities (Metro Areas).
It’s worth comparing the top 10 cities in the main Most Cutting-Edge Large Cities list with those leading the Momentum ranking. This contrast shows just how quickly perceptions of innovation hubs are changing. While Seattle, San Francisco, and San Jose remain at the top of both lists, the rest of the rankings are much less predictable.
Take Boston, for example. The city ranks a strong fourth for Cutting-Edge Skills, but only seventh for Momentum. Austin, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City have all surpassed Boston in terms of growth.
Likewise, the Momentum rankings for San Diego (13), New York City (9), and Portland, Oregon (16) don’t match their positions in the main Cutting-Edge Skills list. This suggests that top tech skills are no longer concentrated solely in the traditional coastal hub markets.
Here are the Most Cutting-Edge Large Cities (Metro Areas):
| METRO AREA | CUTTING-EDGE SKILLS RANK | MOMENTUM RANK |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1 | 1 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | /blog/growth/page/2 | /blog/growth/page/2 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | 3 | 3 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA/NH | 4 | 7 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | 5 | 4 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 6 | 13 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY/NJ/PA | 7 | 9 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 8 | 8 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR/WA | 9 | /tag/growth/page/16 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 10 | 21 |
Innovation is spreading beyond the usual tech centers
One major reason tech talent is emerging in unexpected places is that demand for these skills now spans many industries. While startups in fields like AI and machine learning are still growing, established companies—including those that once avoided tech—are now competing for the same in-demand talent.
For example, many cities gaining momentum aren’t necessarily hotspots for venture capital or startup activity. Instead, they’re places where traditional industries are being transformed, creating opportunities for a new wave of skilled workers.
In Utah, Provo and Salt Lake City ranked first and third among mid-sized cities for tech talent. Much of this growth comes from a tech campus launched by Zions Bancorp in 2022, which is helping to train and hire new Cutting Edge professionals.
Similarly, new tech investments from Walmart help explain why Fayetteville, Arkansas, is second among mid-sized cities and leads the Momentum ranking for metros in its size category.
“More and more, Main Street is becoming tech-driven and powered by data,” said Matt Sigelman, president of the Burning Glass Institute, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. “Some of the fastest-growing, highest-value skills are now showing up in places you wouldn’t have expected before.”
A more decentralized startup landscape
As tech talent finds new opportunities in industries that once resisted digital transformation, federal initiatives are also supporting innovation in regions that haven’t always received attention.
As we recently discussed on our blog, the U.S. Commerce Department has just announced 31 regional Tech Hubs that will receive major funding through the CHIPS and Science Act, passed last summer.
This new funding will deliver transformative investments in innovation, supply chain resilience, and job creation by bringing together public and private sector partners to compete for up to $75 million in implementation grants.
While public-private partnerships—combining government funding, private capital, and institutional resources—are essential for strengthening local tech ecosystems, individual entrepreneurs should also adopt a similar approach to funding their ventures.
That means tapping into a mix of funding sources so you can drive growth, keep equity in your business, and support your R&D efforts.
At Boast, we’ve helped thousands of startups across North America secure non-dilutive funding to power their product roadmaps and boost their R&D. Our platform brings together key financial and project tracking tools in one place, giving you the insights you need to optimize your strategy and maximize the impact of your team’s innovation.
Want to learn more about U.S. R&D tax credits and how you can use them to accelerate your product development? Download our Guide:
Contact an expert today to discover how Boast’s unique approach can help you optimize R&D and maximize non-dilutive funding.
