麻豆APP

Top 15 Most Famous Tech Companies in Austin

Austin, Texas, where the skies are big, the music is vibrant, and the tech scene might be the hottest thing besides the Texas summer. Known as the “Live Music Capital of the World”, Austin is infamous for its creative spirit and vibrant cultural scene.

See some famous celebrities who live in Austin here!

These are just a few of the factors that have contributed to the city becoming a hub for innovation and entrepreneurial prowess. The city is therefore home to thousands of tech companies, most home startups, and many others coming to have a taste of the Austin pie.

Therefore, in this article, we will highlight 15 of the most famous companies in the city of Austin, Texas. Enjoy!

1. Dell

Photo by on

American-based Dell Inc. is a behemoth in the tech industry providing IT solutions and services on both hardware and software. I was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell in his dorm room as a student at the University of Texas at Austin.

Its headquarters are at Round Rock, Texas which is part of the greater Austin metropolitan. At its founding, it was purely a hardware vendor but has diversified into software as of 2009.

Some of Dell鈥檚 products including cameras, printers, personal computers, and servers are recognized as some of the best in the industry. On the software side of things, Dell provides cybersecurity, data storage, and cloud computing among other solutions.

2. IBM

Photo by on

Formally known as the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), it鈥檚 an American-based multinational technology company. It has a diverse portfolio providing many IT services including the creation of software and hardware systems as well as IT consulting services for businesses.

The company has a rich history dating back to its foundation on June 16th, 1911. Despite having its headquarters in Armonk, New York, IBM, also called Big Blue, has a significant presence in Austin, Texas.

This is via the IBM Austin Research Laboratory which was established in 1995. It is one of just twelve such IBM labs the company has established globally. 

See the 30 biggest tech companies in the world here!

3. Apple Inc.

Photo by on

Apple is one of the most famous and most valuable tech companies in the world. It is known for innovative and stylish products such as the iPhone, Mac computers, and iPad tablets among others.

Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.

However, its second-largest corporate locations are in Austin in the form of two state-of-the-art campuses. One works on Apple Silicon while the other provides Apple鈥檚 technical support, Apple Maps data management, and supply chain management among other services.

4. Oracle

, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Oracle is a multinational technology company that specializes in developing cloud services, software solutions, and database software. It was founded in 1977 by Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates.

Originally, the company was known as Software Development Laboratories (SDL) and has changed its name severally before arriving at the current one. These names are Relational Software, Inc., Oracle Systems Corporation, and finally adopted Oracle Corporation in 1995.

Like the names, Oracle has also had different headquarters moving from Redwood City, California to its current location in Austin, Texas in 2020.

5. National Instruments

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

National Instruments (NI) is somewhat of an underdog in the tech industry, well as an ‘underdog’ as a billion-dollar can be. It is a multinational organization that produces virtual instrument software as well as automated test equipment.

Founded in 1976 by James Truchard, Jeff Kodosky, and Bill Nowlin who at the time were employees of the University of Texas at Austin, NI has its headquarters in Austin Texas. As of April 2023, NI is a subsidiary of Emerson Electric following an $8.2 billion all-cash acquisition.

6. Advanced Micro Devices

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) is an American-based multinational tech company that specializes in the development of semiconductors.

The company was founded by Jerry Sanders and seven other colleagues a former semiconductor company called Fairchild Semiconductor in 1969.

Although the company has its headquarters in Santa Clara, California, its presence in Austin Texas is grand, to say the least. AMD began operations in Austin in 1979 with the launch of a semiconductor fabrication plant.

The company has found success in the city with perhaps the greatest coming in 2011. This is when AMD at the plant, broke the Guinness World Record for the “Highest frequency of a computer processor”.

7. Silicon Labs

, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Silicon Labs is an Austin, Texas-based technology company that was established in 1996 by Nav Sooch, Dave Welland, and Jeff Scott.

The business specializes in the production of semiconductors, other silicon components, and software. Their products include wireless modules, sensors, software stacks, and microcontrollers like the Gecko.

Since its foundation, the company has diversified into various sectors but is now focusing mostly on the IoT market. For example, in 2021 it sold its infrastructure and automotive business to Skyworks Solutions Inc.

8. Indeed

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Founded in 2004, Indeed is a leading job search engine and online employment marketplace. The company provides a platform connecting job seekers and employers.

It was founded in 2004 by Paul Forster and Rony Kahan. However, unlike most establishments, Indeed has two headquarters, in Austin, Texas, and Stamford, Connecticut.

Other than connecting employers with probable employees, the company also offers resume building, salary comparison, and company reviews.

9. SolarWinds

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The SolarWinds Corporation is an Austin-based technology company that specializes in the development of software for businesses. Said software includes those designed to help in the network, systems, and IT management.

SolarWinds was started in Oklahoma by two brothers Donald and David Yonce in 1999. It moved to its current headquarters in Austin in 2006. Loggly is SolarWinds’ most famous product.

One of the company鈥檚 most-known products is the SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM). It is used to provide real-time monitoring and analysis of network performance.

10. WP Engine

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Founded by James Cohen, WP Engine is a privately held WordPress hosting company. It was founded in 2010 and works to provide reliable and secure hosting solutions for websites and applications built on the WordPress platform.

The company has so far raised over 18.2 billion from VC investment and angel investors. With headquarters in Austin, WP Engine also has headquarters in the UK and Japan alongside several offices around the USA.

11. GSD&M

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Headquartered in Austin, GSD&M is an advertising and marketing agency. Steve Gurasich, Roy Spence, Tim McClure, and Judy Trabulsi鈥攁ll experts in the field of advertising鈥攆ounded the business in 1971.

GSD&M has collaborated with some of the biggest businesses and institutions throughout the years. Southwest Airlines, BMW, AT&T, and the US Air Force are a few of these.

12. Workrise

Workrise is a technology company that provides a worker management platform to the energy industry. Previously known as RigUp, it was launched in 2014 by Xuan Yong and Mike Witte.

Workrise has its headquarters in Austin Texas. In 2021, it raised $300 million in its series E round of funding.

It provides many services including facilitating the hiring, onboarding, and management of contractors, as well as streamlining the procurement process. Some notable companies that use Workrise鈥檚 platform include Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Parsley Energy, Amerdev, and Anadarko.

13. HomeAway

, , via Wikimedia Commons

HomeAway, probably from the saying 鈥渉ome away from home鈥�, is a vacation rental marketplace. The company provides users with an online platform where property owners list their properties for rent to travelers.

The company was founded in 2005 by Brian Sharples and Carl Shepherd and has headquarters in Austin Texas. Its platform offers a wide range of rental options, including apartments, houses, cabins, and villas, catering to various travel preferences and budgets.

HomeAway was purchased by Expedia Group in 2015, which strengthened its dominance in the vacation rental industry.

14. Ping Identity

The Ping Identity Corporation is a leading cybersecurity company with headquarters in Denver, Colorado. It was founded in 2002 by Andre Durand and Bryan Field-Elliot and puts an emphasis on identity and access management (IAM) solutions.

While based in Colorado, Ping Identity has a significant presence in Austin Texas. In 2016, it was acquired for $600 million by private equity firm Vista Equity Partners.

The Ping Identity Platform offers a comprehensive suite of IAM capabilities, including single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, and identity governance.

15. Phunware

PhunWare offices, Wikimedia Commons

Founded in 2009, Phunware Inc. is an American tech company that develops mobile software and blockchain services. It was founded by Alan S. Knitowski, Luan D. Nguyen, and Randall S. Crowder in Austin.

Unlike most companies, Phunware has several has four headquarters. In Austin, Texas, Irvine, California, San Diego, California, and in Miami, Florida.

Its products enable businesses to provide personalized mobile experiences, including location-based services, mobile marketing, and app development.

As we wrap up this list, it should be understood that these companies above are just the tip of the iceberg. Austin’s tech landscape is a thriving ecosystem where startups sprout like wildflowers and big players continue to make their mark. Many companies worth a place on this list were left out but difficult decisions had to be made.