In an industry where people are the most important resource, Savills Tech Cities has always been about what that tech talent is looking for in a place to live and work.

That talent had, in recent years, overwhelmingly favoured some of the world’s most vibrant cities. San Francisco, Austin, Berlin and Tel Aviv, among others, achieved global statuses that belied their size as a result. Tech companies emerged from, developed in and moved to such cities, often at the expense of less attractive cities, suburban and business park locations.

Bustling urban environments rich with café culture, nightlife and the arts were all part of the appeal.



But the pandemic has led to a reassessment by some about what makes a good place to be. Wellness matters more than ever. A city’s access to open space, cycle networks and clean air has risen in importance.

We had already been observing a shift away from some of the major urban centres in favour of smaller ones. Cost of living for talent, in addition to rising office rents, was a big factor in this.

Now health and wellness is becoming an even greater factor in location decisions. Cities, big and small, will remain essential to the tech sector as places to cluster and share ideas, scale and grow. However, in this edition of Tech Cities, we look at the different ‘tiers’ of tech city and what makes them important to the sector. The pandemic has been a catalyst for change, and we expect to see cities of all sizes respond to the challenge.




Savills Tech Cities are important centres for tech in their region and VC investment hotspots. Vibrant cities in which to live and work, they are magnets for talent.

Wellness matters more than ever to both tech talent and business occupiers. Our Tech Lifestyle Cities have an edge here, with better air quality, access to greenspace and smaller footprints. Savills Digital Nomad Essentials Index highlights some of the factors that count to talent today.

In spite of 2020’s upheavals, the Tech Megacities continue to dominate VC investment, led by Beijing and San Francisco. Singapore has received a boost, benefiting in part from the US-China trade war.

A new raft of Rising Global Tech Contender cities are emerging, ranging from Detroit to Yokohama. Growth is fuelled by technological advances, government initiatives and cost advantages.

While many tech companies have adopted work from home strategies in the wake of the pandemic, their city centre offices and campuses, in which they have invested heavily, will remain important as places for staff to collaborate, to instil company culture, and to attract the best and brightest.

Out of town tech campuses have taken on a fresh relevance in a time of social distancing and newfound focus on health and wellbeing. We explore five examples with wellness at their core.

Explore Tech Cities

Tech Talent

The top functioning tech cities succeed in offering a set of fundamental benefits for the coding classes.

Tech Funding

Tech cities thrive on venture capital investment. So, where in the world is the money going?

Tech City Property

As the pandemic recedes city-based, high-tech workplaces will look to reassert their importance

Tech Megacities

Global connectivity, complementary industries and a deep talent pool make Tech Megacities highly attractive to both scaling and established companies.

Tech Lifestyle Cities

Tech Lifestyle Cities offer city living on a smaller footprint. This means shorter journeys for work and play, without sacrificing the buzz of a larger urban centre.

Rising Global Tech Contenders

Rising Global Tech Contenders are the tech cities to watch. Economic growth in these cities is being fuelled by burgeoning tech sectors.

Tech Campuses

With the emphasis firmly placed on health and wellbeing, campus tech hubs offer an alternative to city-based locations.