The making of a startup haven: How is Orange County evolving into the place-to-be for startups today?

Disneyland, dreamy beaches, and iconic amusement parks- while these may be some of the attractions that have brought Orange County a considerable share of its fame, there’s more to this part of Southern California than that. For many years now, Orange county has increasingly been capturing the world’s attention with its flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem- presenting a perfect runway for startups.‍‍

The legacy of Orange County: A vibrant investment community 

There’s a long list of prominent establishments, including Fortune 500 companies like Ingram Micro, Pacific Life, Broadcom and Edwards Lifesciences among those headquartered in Orange County. Such illustrious companies together with incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces and networking events, form a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem. This provides budding startups easy access to resources, networks, talent and more, to nurture their growth. 

Business-friendly environment

Orange County’s business community consistently makes efforts  to develop and implement startup-friendly initiatives that foster the collective entrepreneurial acumen of the region. Startups are systemically guided through to gain a foothold in the business landscape, without having to figure it all out on their own. 

Orange County Startup Council (OCSC), for instance, connects new technology startups to potential partners, customers, and investors they need to grow their business. As a local community service association dedicated to helping the diverse pool of startup founders and their teams in their pursuit of building successful companies, OCSC’s free directories and services make resources more accessible to early stage growth company entrepreneurs, thereby accelerating their success. This allows startups to focus their energy, time and resources on areas that are directly linked to seizing the opportunities to flourish, unencumbered by integral challenges. 

"We're excited to help accelerate the Orange County innovation ecosystem. There are world class companies, resources, assets, and talent here that deserve greater recognition. The popularity of our events and the great support the OC Startup Council has received from corporate partners demonstrate the growth potential of the region to thrive as a startup hub", says Scott Fox, CEO, OC Startup Council. 

Thriving finance/fintech ecosystems in place 

As the ecosystem continues to mature, Orange County also grows in visibility as an attractive destination for startups, investors and ancillary organizations from across the globe to explore possibilities in a fresh and thriving environment. It’s interesting to note that the coexistence of traditional and modern systems in the region adds to its unique flavor, bringing the best of both worlds in terms of ideas, systems, innovations and learning opportunities. It offers the perfect opportunity to lean on to the strength of the new and the old, connect the dots and break new ground. At the same time, this synergy also creates possibilities for startups to gain access to customers, resources and expertise which might otherwise seem more taxing. 

For instance, Orange County has a large number of traditional financial services companies such as banks and insurance companies built on legacy systems, and there lies great opportunities for these established institutions to collaborate with modern, up-to-the-minute fintech startups to take their offerings to the next level. 

Mentorship programs designed to help new startups navigate the challenges of starting a business

What also happens when there is an innovation hotspot and a blossoming entrepreneurial scene is comprehensive knowledge-sharing and a stimulating exchange of ideas. Enterprises in Orange County have access to experienced entrepreneurs and business leaders who can impart wisdom, experiences and guidance to broaden their perspectives and make thought processes more dynamic. 

For Orange County, the wide variety of mentorship programs are undoubtedly catalytic in elevating the growth of startups, nourishing them with the best of all available resources. UC Irvine is a great example for an incubator contributor. City of Irvine recently held its first-ever Tech Week, a week-long event series presented by VCs, accelerators and startups, that brings together passionate individuals with ideas to learn, network and expand by engaging with the local Irvine startup community.The great success of this year's first edition has already led to plans for a sequel next year.

Apart from being wonderful opportunities for startups to gain from an incredible network of peers, it’s also promising that networking and building relationships don’t have to be tedious or dull. They can be fun, exciting and energizing. “With 3 strong universities- University of California Irvine(UCI), California State University Fullerton(CSUF), and Chapman University(CU), each with their own entrepreneurial programs, along with world industry leadership in areas like cybersecurity, electric vehicles (EV), semiconductors, medical devices, and a thriving startup ecosystem of incubators, accelerators, investment groups, startup associations, events and so on, Orange County has all the right pieces to help start and grow the most innovative companies.” says Hicham Semaan, Tech Coast Angels OC member and past president.

Geographically and socio-economically suited for accelerating the growth of startups

Besides all the institutional factors that make Orange County a great place for startups, geography and demographics too supplement its inspiring milieu. Orange County's population density, which happens to be relatively dense in comparison to other areas in Southern California, is one of the factors that contributes to its unique mix of urban and suburban environments. This distribution plays a considerable role in shaping the region’s economy and culture. One may think how this impacts businesses. It's beneficial to businesses in two interesting ways- one, a higher population density means that there are more potential customers rich in diversity, and two, it also means a larger pool of talent for startups to draw from. It’s also worth highlighting that the region has a strong talent pool, with top universities and research institutions. All this can be particularly advantageous for startups that are looking to scale quickly and gain prominence in a crowded market. 

In terms of geography, Orange County enjoys the advantage of proximity to major markets in Los Angeles and San Diego, providing startups with easy access to potential customers, investors, and partners. 

Remarkable quality of life = Stimulating environment for work and leisure

With beautiful beaches, great weather, and a range of cultural and recreational opportunities. Orange County is an attractive location for entrepreneurs and their employees. This vibrance is key to what makes Orange County stand out from other startup hubs. Where work and play can coexist, ideas run unconstrained. 

What makes Orange County different from Silicon Valley?

Speaking of tech, startups, investors, and innovation, one cannot but think about Silicon Valley. Orange County is not Silicon Valley and doesn’t try to be. Orange County has been steadily building a commendable ecosystem conducive to growth and innovation. Drawing from its own distinctive attributes and humble triumphs to forge ahead, Orange County evokes the image of a safe space for unbounded creativity balanced by a robust, forward-thinking system built on authenticity. However, it would be interesting to take a quick look at how Orange County is different from Silicon Valley. 

To begin with, Silicon Valley undeniably has had a head start in building its technology ecosystem and has attracted some of the world's top talent and investment capital. Orange County, with its diverse economy and a thriving technology sector, is home to many successful startups and established companies across a wide range of industries. In recent years especially, Orange County has invested significantly in its technology ecosystem, with special focus on initiatives that predominantly support startup growth, foster innovation, and attract talent and investment. 

While Silicon Valley is known for its tech-centric culture and startup ecosystem, with a high concentration of tech companies, investors, and entrepreneurs, Orange County has a more diverse economy, with a range of industries including healthcare, biotech, and aerospace, in addition to a thriving technology sector.

High housing costs and other expenses in Silicon Valley could make it potentially difficult for startups to operate. Orange County, while n​​ot being inexpensive, may be comparatively more cost-effective for businesses and individuals, especially those who are in the earlier stages of their entrepreneurial journey. 

With their own unique set of advantages, Orange County and Silicon Valley have different things to offer startups- the choice of location will depend on a range of factors, including the industry, access to talent, funding, culture fit and so on. As its track record shows, Orange County is a fast growing hub and certainly one to keep rising in prominence particularly in the startup scene. 

About Revolv3

Headquartered in Laguna Beach, CA, Revolv3 is a payments company with a cutting-edge SaaS optimization platform that revolutionizes billing for card-on-file merchants. By leveraging adaptive technology, Revolv3 ensures the industry's highest credit card approval rates, resulting in increased revenue, reduced churn, and improved cost efficiency. Need Payment expertise? Book some time now.