After spending more than 15 years living in the Bay Area, between my college years at Berkeley and many of my formative professional years, I finally committed to San Francisco in 2019 by buying a four-bedroom home. I couldn’t see myself living anywhere else.
On March 11, 2020, I tuned in to watch the Oklahoma City Thunder-Utah Jazz game, which would become the infamous “COVID NBA game.” It was initially delayed, then ultimately canceled by officials as the players were getting ready for tipoff. Players on the court and fans were all shocked. It was the first domino to fall for U.S. sports to be canceled indefinitely. It was also the same day the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic.
Within months, the world changed. San Francisco, like many cities, became a shell of itself. Safety issues grew rampant and amplified an already horrible situation. Some questionable policy issues made things worse. By the end of the year, I was committed to leaving San Francisco.
Ultimately, I decided on Las Vegas for a combination of reasons. Austin, Texas, was too far. Seattle was too cold. Despite growing up in Los Angeles, and my parents still being there, crime and safety issues seemed to be no respite from what I was trying to escape. Las Vegas felt like a great option. It was still in the backyard of California, which would be a huge advantage for my professional career. But I wondered what it would be like to live in “Sin City.”
Moving my family wasn’t easy, but after visiting Summerlin, the community quickly felt like the Irvine of Las Vegas. We found a home, and for around the same price as what we were paying, gained three times the space. We also felt confident in the private school choices nearby. Being surrounded by both natural beauty and an abundance of great places to shop and dine has made our adjustment easy.
In just a few years, I’ve been inspired by the city’s growth. My view of Las Vegas as a thriving city with culture, food, sports, entertainment and lifestyle has been cemented. But I believe Las Vegas is just scratching the surface.
The people and spirit here have inspired me to be all-in, and part of that means having the mindset to give to the community as much—or more—than it gives me. Since Vegas has given me so much already, I felt compelled to do my part in return. When I moved here, some amazing local leaders, businessmen, elected officials and community groups welcomed me. That was the genesis for my founding of the former governor’s Nevada Startup and Venture Council with local community leaders.
In 2022, I also founded the Vegas Tech Summit, which has become a premier annual event that hosts technology entrepreneurs and investors, primarily from California, to introduce them to Las Vegas and encourage them to consider relocating here. Several individuals who have attended the Vegas Tech Summit have moved here, and a growing number have relocated or are in the process of relocating their businesses.
My vision for the Vegas Tech Summit is to bring some of the top tech entrepreneurs, executives and investors to Vegas through amazing programming and world-class experiences. We take our attendees off the Strip and host all of our events at some of the world-class sites and venues that they normally wouldn’t see on the Strip—from Summerlin and the Summit Club on the west side to MacDonald Highlands on the east side. Past speakers have included businessman and investor Ben Horowitz, Panda Express owner Andrew Cherng, Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan, DCM founder David Chao, Congressman Ted Lieu and UFC chief operating officer Lawrence Epstein, among others.
Attendees leave the tech summit inspired by the content, some with new relationships that have led to funding of their companies. Many attendees leave in disbelief as they say, “Wow, I can live in this spacious house for such a reasonable price, enjoy affordable access to top golf clubs, live this amazing quality of life, and have a thriving tech community to lean on.”
Vegas is well positioned to become a major tech hub. The tax savings are obvious, but this benefit is not just about putting more money in people’s pockets. Over 90% of U.S. startup businesses fail, so every advantage is important. This becomes a matter of survival or collapse.
Companies in Las Vegas can take advantage of tax incentives and savings, which can mean hiring two more engineers, adding five more employees, or having six extra months of runway to prove that their company is viable. This can be the difference between success or failure. Office space is cheaper, and labor is more affordable.
And it’s not just the executives who benefit from the superior quality of life here. The average worker benefits, too. The hypothetical $100,000-a-year tech employee can barely afford a 500-square-foot apartment in San Francisco, but that salary can likely allow them to live in a 2,500-square-foot house in Las Vegas, which means a healthier life for them and their families. Execs and workers alike win in Vegas, which leads to better employee retention.
Las Vegas is also a major destination for both work and play, with over 40 million visitors a year and over 10,000 annual conventions. Austin has roughly 25 million visitors by comparison. This means that companies based in Vegas have the luxury of being at home while having a flood of clients, partners, distributors or other prospectives fly into their hometown—another huge advantage of doing business here.
Las Vegas isn’t just fancy lights, tall buildings and transient visitors. Nevadans are working hard to ensure it keeps on thriving. I believe in the people. And the people inspire me. Vegas has always been a gaming and entertainment mecca, and it is now morphing into a major sports town, too. The next horizon for Vegas is its evolution as a future tech hub. The diversity of its identity and economy will ensure prosperity for generations to come.
Teddy Liaw is CEO of NexRep and president of Vegas Tech Summit.
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