Roanoke: A Great Alternative to Silicon Valley

Roanoke is mentioned as an “unsung startup tech city” by Entrepreneur magazine in “6 Alternatives to Silicon Valley with Better Weather Than Portland.”

The ranking looks at a few locations that are “ideal for startups looking to plant roots.”

Here’s what the magazine said about the Roanoke Region: “I had to do some research when one guy on Twitter sang the praises of his native Roanoke. Turns out, with Virginia Tech only 45 minutes from the heart of the city, Roanoke is a natural fit for tech startups. As a business grows, it can choose from the large number of graduates who choose to settle in the city. Workers in the area have access to Roanoke’s low cost of living without sacrificing the many amenities in other cities, including culture, shops and restaurants.”

And it’s all true.

Then there’s our awesome climate.

From hot summers to chilly winters, warm springs and cool falls, the Roanoke Region experiences all four seasons of the year. Don’t worry, the summers and winters are never too extreme (average temperatures of 75 degrees in the heat of summer and 34 degrees in the middle of winter). Left-over rain from a dying tropical storm is about as severe as weather gets in the Roanoke Region. The area is relatively free from hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and other man-made and natural disasters.

Combine all this and it’s the perfect place to bring your startup, or business of any size for that matter.