Southern Nevada’s Startup Boom: What You Need to Know
WHERE BOLD IDEAS ARE BUILT
Las Vegas is more than just the Strip – it’s also a thriving hub for business and innovation. Recently named the best city in America for pre-IPO startups, Las Vegas’ burgeoning tech scene and collaborative business ecosystem deliver an environment where businesses flourish. Hundreds of startup companies already operate in the Silver State, with endless opportunities for growth. Las Vegas is known for pushing the boundaries of what people believe is possible. Innovation is not only celebrated but expected in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, we go big or we go home.
Innovative Companies Choose Las Vegas:
Why Las Vegas
A Growing Community Of Founders
Las Vegas is rapidly growing, and every week more entrepreneurs are moving to the region. It’s easy to get connected here. Join us on our local startup slack channel to meet local entrepreneurs and get connected into the ecosystem.
Your Investors And Clients Are Already Here
Locating your company in Las Vegas ensures you’ll have easy access to the millions of business travelers coming through town, and endless growth opportunities with an international audience. Plus, not having to travel means you get to enjoy a better work-life balance!
High Quality Of Life & Low Cost Of Living
We hear it time and time again, life is simply easier here. Both City of Henderson and City of North Las Vegas rank among the Top 100 Safest Cities in America. With less traffic, more than 300 days of sunshine each year, and endless opportunities for outdoor recreation, enjoying life comes naturally. Plus, with fewer taxes and a lower cost of living, you’ll save more while experiencing more.
A Growing Talent Pipeline
The region is investing in talent retention programs to help students find paid internships with local startups, including a $4M program through University of Nevada Reno & University of Nevada Las Vegas, and a Blackstone-sponsored internship program providing support for paid interns.
Las Vegas’ Startup Ecosystem
“The biggest surprise for me about Las Vegas is it’s a small town. I knew about the big city part, but the small-town aspect is truly amazing. It’s great to have close friends and neighbors and access to anything you want in a big city. Life is about the people that you share it with, and Las Vegas is a great place to do that.”
-Ben Horowitz, Cofounder & General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz
Connect with LVGEA to Learn More
Heather Brown
Senior Vice President, Entrepreneurial Development
Heather Brown is a Las Vegas native who graduated from Western High School and UNLV and has dedicated her life to public service. Heather is President and Co-Founder of StartUp Vegas, a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to boost the startup culture and create an environment of entrepreneurship in Southern Nevada.
After graduating from UNLV, Heather found her voice in Washington, D.C., as the National Chief of Staff for the Young Democrats of America and then working for Democratic GAIN, a U.S.-based non-profit that focuses on building long-term sustainable infrastructure for progressives, as their Programs Director before starting her own firm. She focused on political and professional consulting for political parties, candidates, labor unions, allied organizations, and youth activist groups in Europe, South America, and the Middle East, most notably spending two years living in Brussels working for a European Political Party, running their training and grassroots outreach efforts.
Using her experience working across business sectors, programming, and membership-based outreach, Heather co-founded StartUp Vegas with the intention of helping diversify the Southern Nevada community. StartUp Vegas is focused on a bottom-up approach that will connect, educate, and promote a robust startup ecosystem by supporting founders/entrepreneurs, creating meaningful programming, and providing opportunities to access capital. Her public service continues today as an elected member of the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education for a six-year term representing District 6, which covers the southern portion of Clark County.
Find Us At These Upcoming Events
Additional Resources
Accelerators & Incubators
Funding Opportunities
- UNLV Rebel Venture Fund
- 1864 Fund
- FundNV | Pre-Seed Fund
- AngelNV | Investor Education
- NV Grow
- Scarlet Capital Fund
- Access CDFI
- Nevada Business Opportunity Fund
- Battle Born Growth (Nevada’s Small Business Capital Program)
- Gathering of Angels
Don’t Make the Mistake of Picking a City That Doesn’t Fit Your Needs.
Moving or expanding your business to a different city is a big deal. We’re here to help you make your best decision. At absolutely no cost to you, the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance will do a “City Check” to see all of the amazing cities and places in the Las Vegas Valley that can deliver an outstanding business relocation or expansion solution for you, your employees, and their families.
