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FC NOW: The Fast Company Weblog

October 29, 2004

Cities That Shine

Catalytix, a group associated with Richard Florida, has developed a regional creativity scorecard. And now, Visa USA has identified what its research considers the most entrepreneurial cities in the United States.

The Visa Entrepreneur Index was compiled using data such as the average number of new businesses created each year (or expansions and divisions of those businesses) and the number of new patents issued by the U.S. Patent Office.

The top 10 cities are:

Austin
San Diego
West Palm Beach
Houston
Raleigh
Dallas
Detroit
Salt Lake City
Phoenix
Seattle

San Francisco straggles in at #17, with Boston at #18 and New York at a lowly #46. Huh. Who'da thunk? There seems to be some confusion between innovation, entrepreneurialism, and creativity, but it's an interesting list all the same.

[Thanks, Laura!]

Posted by Heath Row at October 29, 2004 6:21 PM | Category: innovation + creativity | 2 Comments

2 COMMENTS

Posted by: L. Andrew at October 30, 2004 2:28 PM: Looks like Texas has a strong showing. Interesting information thanks for sharing. I wonder what categories of business and patents are being started and issued?
Posted by: JAM at October 31, 2004 12:09 AM: We have recently relocated our online marketing company (FurnitureQuest.com) to the Seattle area and I have to admit there must something in the air over here. There's an energy of innovation that I have never felt anywhere else, not even in the SF bay area. Happy to see Seattle in the Top Ten; I knew it wasn't just my imagination.