Best Tech Companies in Austin

Austin, also known as “Silicon Hills” is the state capital of Texas. Austin earned the nickname “Silicon Hills” due to the presence of high-tech industries situated in the metropolitan area. “Hills” refers to the hilly terrain along the west of Austin.

The city is known for its live music centered around country, blues and rock and is known as the “Live Music Capital of the World.” Austin also has many parks and lakes and is popular for hiking, biking, swimming and boating.

Over the last few years, Silicon Valley techies have been flowing into Austin. In a 2018 LinkedIn survey, Austin was ranked #5 spot in a list of the top 10 US cities San Francisco LinkedIn users were migrating to. And in 2018 Brookings report placed Austin as #6 in a list of US cities attracting the most millennials, making Austin a hot prospect for young professionals.

Let us take a look at the best tech companies in Austin.

1. Dell Inc.

Dell is one of the top computer technology companies in the US. It develops, sells, supports and repairs computer and related products (data storage devices, network switches, software) and services around the world.

According to Fortune Magazine, Dell is the sixth largest company in Texas by total revenue. Dell ranked #34 in Fortune 500 companies list for year 2019. Dell was also in the Top 10 of Forbes’ Top 100 Companies for remote jobs.

Dell’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential, professional counseling to help with personal issues and financial counseling.

Parents get 100% paid parental leave for up to 12 weeks. Up to $1,500 is contributed annually to the employee’s Health Savings Account (HSA).

Employee Purchase Program gives employees access to special savings on Dell products.

2. IBM Corp.

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a multinational technology and consulting firm. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software. It also offers Global Business Services (GBS), infrastructure, hosting and cloud based services in areas like mainframe computers and nanotechnology.

IBM was ranked in LinkedIn’s 2019 Top Companies list. IBM ranked #11 in Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2019, #121 in Best Employers for New Grads 2019 and #202 in Best Employers for Women 2019.

Employees get 20 weeks of paid parental leave, health/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, relocation assistance and 401(k).

3. NVIDIA

Nvidia Corporation is an American technology company based in Santa Clara, California. The company designs Graphics Processing Units (GPU) for the gaming and professional markets. NVIDIA’s invention of GPU in 1999 fueled massive growth and popularity of the PC gaming market. NVIDIA’s GPU has evolved into a computer brain which incorporates virtual reality, high performance computing, and artificial intelligence.

The company was ranked #7 on Fortune 80 Best Companies to Work for in Texas. At Great Place to Work, 92% employees considered NVIDIA a great place to work.

NVIDIA offers health care coverage, life and disability protection, pre-tax savings opportunities and Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP).

Some offices offer onsite services, such as laundry, car maintenance and mobile health clinics.

4. Cisco

Cisco is located in the heart of Silicon Valley. The company manufactures and sells networking hardware (switches, routers), telecommunications equipment, and security products (threat management). They specialize in Internet of Things (IoT), domain security, and energy management.

Cisco was founded in 1984 by Leonard Bosack and his wife Sandy Lerner who were then employed at Stanford University. The couple wanted to email each other from different buildings, but there was no technology to support them. They decided to solve that problem by creating a multiprotocol router system to create a local area connection between disparate networks. The idea became an instant success and Cisco became one of the leading manufacturers of Network Hardware in the Bay Area.

Cisco ranked #8 on Fortune 80 Best Companies to Work for in Texas. and #1 on World’s Best Workplaces.

Employees enjoy flexible work hours and avail employee discount programs. The company grants 36 days PTO, employee stock exchange and tuition reimbursement programs. Employees also get 40 hours of paid time off per year for volunteer services.

5. Khoros

Khoros, formerly called Spredfast + Lithium is a customer engagement platform created to help businesses create customers, anticipate their needs, accelerate growth and practice innovation. Some of the famous clients of Khoros include Sephora, PayPal and Symantec.

Khoros offers a competitive benefits plan, office perks, work-life balance, 401 (k), generous PTO and wellness programs.

Employees enjoy free tacos on Tuesday. Light breakfast items are available everyday. Employees also get free lunch on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

6. A Cloud Guru (ACG)

A Cloud Guru (ACG) is an online cloud computing school which creates cloud courses with a “teach it like you’re 5” mentality. Their mission is to build the world’s largest cloud computing school to teach engineers and help them move up in their careers while having fun along the way.

The company has already delivered training to more than a half million students. A Cloud Guru is also an AWS Advanced Consulting Partner and has trained over a half million engineers on AWS.

ACG has partnered with customers such as the South African non profit Quirky30 and Women Who Code.

ACG pays 100% of employees’ dental and vision coverage. Employees get 4 weeks of PTO. Parents get 12 weeks of paternity leave. Employees who have been with the company for 12 months are eligible for 12 weeks of family medical leave. ACG reimburses up to $10,000 for eligible adoption expenses. The company also provides a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) where employees can put aside up to $2,700 bucks to spend on themselves or $5,000 on their dependents.

ACG has spin teachers, meditation teachers, and yogis to help keep employees physically and mentally fit.

The employees celebrate ‘Be Hungry, Stay Humble’ day for charity each year and volunteer around the city and in local communities.

7. Applied Materials

Applied Materials provides materials engineering solutions for semiconductors. It produces nanomanufacturing technology which is used in the production of semiconductor chips (integrated circuit) used in flat panel display for computers, smartphones, televisions and solar photovoltaic (PV) industries. 

Applied Materials ranked #53 in Forbes Top 100 Digital Companies 2019.

The company offers employees a number of financial benefits including Applied Materials’ Retirement Savings Plan (401k) and Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). The company also offers Credit Union Membership, Employee Referral Bonus, Service Awards and Tuition Reimbursement.

8. 3M corporation

3M corporation is headquartered in Minnesota and is known for corporation manufacturing of electronic hard goods including abrasives, adhesive tape and related products. The company entered the health care market in the 1950s and produced surgical, dental, and orthodontic products as well as pharmaceuticals.

3M calls their compensation and benefits package “3M Total Rewards.” It includes 3 areas.

Your pay. You will be rewarded for your hard work and efforts with a competitive base salary and incentive pay linked to the company’s and individual’s performance.

Your benefits. Included in the benefits package are: Medical, dental and vision plan options, savings and retirement plans, a 3M employee stock purchase plan and other resources.

Your life at 3M. Growth through challenging work, diverse group of talented peers and opportunities to develop your skills.

Austin is a hub of technology for many years and has been getting massive venture funding for upcoming startups. Austin welcomes diverse culture, creativity and innovation. In this article we have covered companies ranging from the medical field to cloud, AI and marketing companies. Stay up to date with upcoming startups in Austin for the year 2020 and beyond!