When the company that started it all in Silicon Valley announces its plans to relocate its headquarters to Texas, it’s time to take notice.

In December, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) announced plans to relocate its global headquarters from San Jose, California, to Spring, a Houston suburb. The company began constructing a new, state-of-the-art campus at the beginning of the year.

HPE already has a significant presence across Texas, with locations in Austin, Plano and Houston — the latter of which is home to more than 2,600 employees and is the company’s largest employment hub. HPE currently operates significant product development, services, manufacturing, and lab facilities in Houston and Austin. HPE noted the company’s already extensive presence in Houston, its diverse talent base, and anticipated cost saving as the reasons Houston was selected for the relocation.

Compared to coastal states, Texas offers significant savings and no corporate income tax. The state’s highly innovative technology ecosystem and deep, hardworking talent pool make an ideal home base for tech firms.

“We are excited that Hewlett Packard Enterprise has chosen to call Texas home, and I thank them for expanding their investment in the Lone Star State by relocating their headquarters to the Houston region,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “Hewlett Packard Enterprise joins more than 50 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the Lone Star State, including 22 in the Houston area alone. That is because Texas offers the best business climate in the nation. Our low taxes, high quality of life, top-notch workforce, and tier-one universities create an environment where innovative companies like HPE can flourish. We look forward to a successful partnership with HPE, as together we build a more prosperous future for Texas.” 

HPE’s headquarters will be located on a new state-of-the-art campus, expected to open in early 2022. HPE already has a significant presence across Texas, with locations in Austin, Plano and Houston — the latter is home to more than 2,600 employees and is the company’s largest employment hub.

“As we look to the future, our business needs, opportunities for cost savings, and team members’ preferences about the future of work, we are excited to relocate HPE’s headquarters to the Houston region,” said Antonio Neri, CEO of HPE. “Houston is an attractive market to recruit and retain future diverse talent and where we are currently constructing a state-of-the-art new campus. We look forward to continuing to expand our strong presence in the market.”

From the Valley to the Hills

Austin — AKA “Silicon Hills” — is home to a robust technology base with longtime tech companies like Dell Technologies, IBM, Apple, Samsung and Microsoft. Recent years have brought sizable government operations to the region, including the Army Futures Command Post.

Tech firms continued to head for the hills in 2020, as work-from-home orders have changed the professional landscape.

In December, Oracle relocated its corporate headquarters to Austin from Redwood City, California, to implement a more flexible employee work location policy, according to the company.

“Oracle is a global technology giant with an already strong presence here in Texas, and we are proud to welcome its headquarters to Austin,” said Gov. Greg Abbott. “While some states are driving away businesses with high taxes and heavy-handed regulations, we continue to see a tidal wave of companies like Oracle moving to Texas thanks to our friendly business climate, low taxes, and the best workforce in the nation. Most important of all, these companies are looking for a home where they have the freedom to grow their business and better serve their employees and customers, and when it comes to economic prosperity, there is no place like the Lone Star State.”

FileTrail, the leader in next-generation information governance and records management software for law firms and highly regulated industries, announced it too would move its headquarters to Austin.

The relocation is primarily due to FileTrail’s growth, including the need to accommodate its recently expanded team.

FileTrail’s new headquarters is in the up-and-coming area of East Austin. The company is leasing a space twice the size of its previous office in San Jose, California, FileTrail’s home for its first 20 years in business. The new space better accommodates the company’s growing staff, already nearly double what it was a year ago, and is suited for anticipated additional expansion in the coming months and years.

“The year 2020 marks more than just FileTrail’s 20th in business; this is also the start of an exciting new chapter for our company,” says FileTrail CEO Darrell Mervau. “While the greater Bay Area will always be a special place for the FileTrail family, our recent growth prompted the need to explore options for a larger headquarters. Our new location is a great fit for our expanding team and affords us much-needed flexibility for continued growth. We are grateful to the Austin community for already making us all feel welcome.”