Vincent California, a digital design and app development agency, has successfully expanded from Finland to Irvine’s Spectrum Business Center – by way of Silicon Valley. The company’s CEO, Ville Houttu, explains how he believes that “this is the direction that more software and high-tech companies will move.” Prior to deciding on Irvine, Houttu explored Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and San Diego, but quickly realized that Irvine’s available talent, central location, accessibility by air to San Francisco, and quality of life outweighed the other options. He adds, “[those who decide to make the move] will appreciate the business climate, talent, office infrastructure, and work-live-play balance in Irvine.”

Irvine was built around a major university – the University of California, Irvine – to ensure that employers in the area would always have a readily available workforce skilled in the latest technology. The city currently has the most jobs per resident in the country; in fact the tech sector is one of the strongest. As a result, Irvine’s robust and modern job market has played a vital role in the city’s success as an economic powerhouse.

Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) recently conducted a study and found that Irvine leads Orange County in tech startup companies. Most of them are located in UCI Research Park or Irvine Spectrum areas. Together, the two areas account for 91 percent of startup funding in the country. Tech and startup companies are being drawn to the area because of the “high concentration of millennials, strong retail and lifestyle amenities, and the depth of available labor.” With a wide spectrum of tech industry categories including software, fintech, cybersecurity, and electronics, Irvine draws the attention of both established and young companies.