Queens, the most diverse part of the United States, offers a unique blend of cultures and commercial opportunities. This borough creates all the necessary conditions for the growth of both successful businesses and startups—newly established companies aiming to make a mark. Similar to other parts of New York, Queens is seeing a particularly active development in the field of information technology. Learn more about the local advantages for IT professionals below on queens-future.com.
Innovative Business Environment
Queens boasts both traditional businesses and modern ventures focused on digitalization. The borough is seeing a steady rise in tech startups and creative agencies. Local government and the private sector support innovative companies by offering grants, workshops, and IT incubators. This environment encourages entrepreneurs to think outside the box and bring fresh, revolutionary ideas to the market.
The Pursuit CQ4 Fellow Program, established in Long Island City, helps young entrepreneurs build careers in the tech industry. It offers a 10-12 month training program, followed by three years of personalized support. The Queensbridge Tech Lab at the Queens Public Library provides workshops and open access to various digital tools. The Tech Incubator at Queens College, a startup incubator for entrepreneurs supported by the New York City Council, aims to help business owners develop tech companies to create more jobs.
Even in a digital world, personal connections remain essential. Collaboration and idea exchange are critical for generating new ideas and, ultimately, new companies. Local business associations and chambers of commerce provide business owners with necessary support, resources, and networking opportunities. They often host events, workshops, and seminars where participants can make valuable connections and gain insights.
Cultural Diversity
Queens residents represent nearly every culture around the globe, speaking over 130 languages and hailing from more than 120 countries, with significant populations from the Dominican Republic, China, Jamaica, and India. This multicultural environment allows startups to quickly identify and connect with target customers, offering specialized products or services that may not be as common in other parts of the city. Such diversity also motivates founders to focus on global markets. Additionally, Queens is an ideal place to build a strong team, with educated and talented professionals from around the world studying and working in the borough.
The original inhabitants of Queens were the Lenape (Delaware) people, who traditionally engaged in hunting, fishing, and agriculture. They spoke dialects rather than a single language. The Lenape settled in the area that later became known as Newtown in the 1600s. In 1683, the British annexed this territory. In the 1940s and 1950s, Queens experienced a population boom as families relocated here for the suburban lifestyle. Another wave of immigration occurred in the 1960s and 1970s, as people from Asia and Latin America arrived in large numbers, significantly increasing the diversity of the area.
Strategic Location
Queens is the easternmost and largest borough in New York by area, geographically adjacent to Brooklyn. To the north, Queens is bordered by the East River, to the east by Jamaica Bay, and to the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean. Geographically, both Queens and Brooklyn are part of Long Island. The Rockaway Peninsula, the southernmost point of Long Island, sits between Jamaica Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
The borough is home to two of the three major airports in the New York metropolitan area—John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, which are among the busiest in the world. These facilities make Queens extremely convenient for entrepreneurs who travel frequently. Queens serves as a major transportation hub, offering excellent connections to other parts of New York and even distant cities. It boasts a well-developed public transit system, including subways, buses, trains, and ferries. Proximity to Manhattan ensures a steady flow of customers. With this high level of accessibility, Queens is an attractive venue for conferences and exhibitions, providing opportunities to showcase innovations and establish business partnerships.
Diverse Funding Options
Queens attracts investors from around the world who are ready to fund promising projects. Angel investors, venture capital firms, and government programs provide startups with the capital needed to realize their ideas and grow. For example, the Queen’s Partnerships and Innovation project at Queen’s University helps startups, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, succeed through various programs and funding from FedDev Ontario. The Queens Angel Network platform focuses on showcasing early-stage startups to investors, with an emphasis on the role of technology in people’s lives, business, and the economy. The network identifies and supports underserved and underfunded startups to ensure their prosperity.
Strong Economy
Thanks to continuous development and infrastructure investments, Queens boasts the second-largest economy among New York’s boroughs. Moreover, it has the city’s most diversified economy, distributed almost equally across key borough sectors such as healthcare, retail, manufacturing, construction, transportation, film, and television production.
Queens’ steadily growing economic opportunities create a favorable business environment. The borough attracts both tech startup founders and owners of traditional businesses. Long Island City serves as a central manufacturing and back-office hub. Flushing is home to commercial American-Chinese and American-Korean enterprises. Jamaica is the primary civic and transportation hub of the borough.
Affordable Real Estate
Compared to Manhattan and Brooklyn, Queens offers more affordable commercial real estate options, allowing startups to save on office space rentals. This enables business owners to use resources more efficiently and invest more in product and service development. Neighborhoods like Astoria and Jackson Heights provide a mix of cultures and amenities without exorbitant costs, while areas like Forest Hills and Bayside are known for safety and a strong sense of community. Crime rates in Queens are lower than in Brooklyn or the Bronx.
In Summary
Queens, with its unique cultural blend, strategic location, and supportive community, provides fertile ground for startups. As the borough continues to grow and develop, its potential expands with each passing day.