Hartford is among the Top 5 cities that techies are relocating to in the wake of the global pandemic. Despite rumors that Austin and Miami are luring tech workers, Inc.com is reporting that Madison, Wisc., Cleveland, Sacramento, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Hartford are “winning the war” to attract those fleeing the traditional big-city tech hubs.

“Hartford’s ranking is exciting, and a tribute to the collective effort of government, business, and academic leaders,” said Ryan Coles, professor of entrepreneurial management at the School of Business. “Being a hub for technology workers is an important indicator of future entrepreneurial activity and economic growth.

“My team’s research suggests the ranking comes from a geographical advantage, such as proximity to other hubs like Boston and New York City, high quality K-12 education, innovative university research at UConn and Yale, and the state’s history of innovation and manufacturing,” he said.

“It’s incredibly gratifying to see Hartford recognized nationally as a great place to start and advance a tech career,” said Michelle Cote, director of Strategic Partnerships at the School of Business’ Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Cote also led the development of Launc[H], an initiative that unites corporations, educational institutions, local governments and innovators, all seeking to make the capital city the best place on the East Coast to start or grow a business.

“At Launch[H], we’re working across the entire community to utilize technology to reinvent our local economy. From our Fortune 500 anchor corporations to our favorite restaurants, we’re all experiencing changes in the way that we deliver and consume products and services. We’re proud that the opportunities to apply those technologies and create new value here are attracting new innovators and entrepreneurs from across the country and around the world.”