The Austin R&D ecosystem
Austin is ranked number 116 of 392 R&D ecosystems in the 311 Institute directory, with 17 labs within about 120 kilometres: 6 research institutes, 5 corporate, 3 university, 2 military and 1 government. Leading organisations include Agricultural Research Service - Plains Area, Amazon, AMD and Apple, focused on water science and technology, electrical and electronic engineering, pharmacology and geology.
Part of the 311 Institute Global R&D Labs Directory. Compiled by Matthew Griffin. Last updated .
Why these labs matter
All 17 labs
| Lab and organisation | Location | Type and sector | Focus | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annapurna LabsAmazon | Austin, United States | Corporate Technology | Chips (Trainium) | 2011 |
| AMD Austin Design CenterAMD | Austin, United States | Corporate Technology | Processors | |
| Apple Austin campusApple | Austin, United States | Corporate Technology | Engineering, AI | |
| Silicon Labs (United States)Silicon Labs (United States) | Austin, United States | Corporate Industrials and manufacturing | Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering | 1996 |
| Tesla Giga TexasTesla | Austin, United States | Corporate Automotive and mobility | EVs, Humanoid robots, Batteries | 2021 |
| Texas Emerging Technology FundTexas Emerging Technology Fund | Austin, United States | Government Multidisciplinary research | Research | 2005 |
| Naval Medical Research Unit San AntonioNaval Medical Research Command | Fort Sam Houston Joint Base San Antonio, United States | Military Healthcare and life sciences | Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Biochemistry | |
| Applied Research LaboratoriesUniversity of Texas at Austin | Austin, United States | Military Aerospace, defence and space | Sonar, Navigation | 1945 |
| Bureau of Economic GeologyThe University of Texas at Austin | Austin, United States | University Environment and climate | Earth-Surface Processes, Mechanics of Materials, Geology | 1909 |
| University of Texas at AustinUniversities in United States | Austin, United States | University Multidisciplinary research | Computing, Energy | 1883 |
| University of Texas Institute for GeophysicsUniversity of Texas Institute for Geophysics | Austin, United States | University Environment and climate | Geology, Geophysics, Atmospheric Science | 1972 |
| Grassland, Soil and Water Research LaboratoryAgricultural Research Service - Plains Area | Temple, United States | Research institute Environment and climate | Water Science and Technology, Soil Science, Environmental Chemistry | |
| IBM Research - AustinIBM Research - Thomas J. Watson Research Center | Austin, United States | Research institute Industrials and manufacturing | Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hardware and Architecture, Computer Networks and Communications | 1995 |
| Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy LivingMichael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living | Austin, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Physiology, Nutrition and Dietetics | 2006 |
| Premier Research GroupPremier Research Group | Durham, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Surgery, Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Pharmacology | 1989 |
| Texas Diabetes & EndocrinologyTexas Diabetes & Endocrinology | Austin, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Pharmacology, Genetics | 2001 |
| Oklahoma-Texas Water Science CenterUnited States Geological Survey | Austin, United States | Research institute Environment and climate | Environmental Engineering, Water Science and Technology, Geophysics |
Countries
Organisations
- Agricultural Research Service - Plains Area
- Amazon
- Apple
- IBM Research - Thomas J. Watson Research Center
- Naval Medical Research Command
- United States Geological Survey
- Universities in United States
Other leading ecosystems
- Paris and Saclay
- Beijing and Tianjin
- Washington DC and Maryland
- Greater Tokyo and Tsukuba
- Moscow
- Grenoble
- London and the Golden Triangle
- Greater Bay Area (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong)
- Shanghai and Suzhou
- Provence (ITER and Cadarache)
- Silicon Valley and the Bay Area
- Singapore
- Zurich, Basel and Aargau
- Randstad (Amsterdam, Delft, Leiden)
- Stuttgart and Karlsruhe
Questions and answers
How big is the Austin R&D ecosystem?
It has 17 labs from 17 organisations, ranking number 116 worldwide in the 311 Institute Global R&D Labs Directory.
Which organisations have labs in Austin?
They include Agricultural Research Service - Plains Area, Amazon, AMD and Apple.
What does the Austin ecosystem specialise in?
Its main focus areas are water science and technology, electrical and electronic engineering, pharmacology and geology.
© 311 Institute 2015–2026. This directory is the proprietary work of the 311 Institute, protected by copyright and database rights. Copying, scraping or republishing any substantial part without written permission is prohibited.