Why Pittsburgh?
When considering destinations, remember that Pittsburgh is at the forefront of what’s next.
I’ve had the privilege of representing and selling Pittsburgh for the last eight years as a member of the MeetPITTSBURGH Destination Sales team. “Why Pittsburgh” is the most frequently asked question when business event planners are evaluating our city as a potential host for their event.
While there are many deserving qualities that set the city apart from other destinations, I believe that the rise of the Pittsburgh region’s technology and advanced manufacturing industries is why business event planners should choose Pittsburgh.
As our partners at Pittsburgh Regional Alliance have shared, Pittsburgh is “an iconic city at the forefront of what’s next.” Top companies, startups, universities and more are all meeting the world’s biggest challenges and building a next-generation economy right here in our region.
Pittsburgh offers the following:
- Top R&D-driven innovation hub & emerging global startup ecosystem.
- Record $3B in venture capital funding in 2019.
- More than 45,000 in the tech talent pool – an increase of nearly 21% over the last five years.
- One of the fastest growing U.S. cities for tech jobs in 2020.
- Unemployment at or below the national average due to Pittsburgh’s diverse economy, as well as its thriving technology industry.
The Pittsburgh region is home to a growing entrepreneurial hub:
- Innovation Works: Largest seed-stage investor in the Southwestern Pennsylvania region and one of the most active in the country.
- InnovatePGH: Next generation public-private partnership built to accelerate Pittsburgh’s status as a global innovation city. The three primary anchors of the partnership are Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).
- Pittsburgh Technology Council: Supports the region’s technology-based companies with business development, talent retention, government relations and visibility services.
- Pittsburgh Robotics Network: Accelerate robotics and AI adoption by connecting the Pittsburgh robotics community with the world.
Over the last decade, Pittsburgh has undergone a dramatic environmental transformation and technological makeover. Pittsburgh ranks among the top cities in the United States for green-certified building space and is a top “NextTech” city.
As the birthplace of artificial intelligence, Pittsburgh is pioneering what’s next in AI: software, hardware, robotics and machine learning. The power of AI cuts across all industries today, transforming and optimizing them. AI and machine learning intersect with 10 other verticals in the Pittsburgh region to form a robust web of AI-backed technologies: robotics, health, industrials/manufacturing, mobility, big data, communication, business enterprises, cloud-based technology, augmented reality and the internet of things. Pittsburgh is home to 130+ AI startups and enterprises and the world’s most innovative tech companies are investing in Pittsburgh – leveraging our unmatched technical strength to develop creative solutions. Such companies include:
Pittsburgh’s history has been that of innovation and invention. That legacy continues today as robotics and continued advancements in life sciences take center stage, driven in large part by the work ethic of Pittsburghers. With so many bright minds and opportunities for growth, the technology sector in Pittsburgh should continue to thrive, making the city a hotbed for innovation and the ideal location for your next conference and trade show.
Published March 16, 2021
