Startup activity in the Houston metro area has dipped since its pandemic peak, according to a new study.
Dating back to 2005, the volume of applications to form new businesses in the Houston area hit its highest level in 2021 (151,804). Since then, though, the application volume has fallen, according to the study, conducted by business debt collection agency The Kaplan Group. Here’s the breakdown from the last few years:
- Applications dropped to 130,011 in 2022
- Climbed to 145,926 in 2023
- Dropped again to 138,595 in 2024
Looking at the Houston area’s figures another way, the 2024 total surpassed the 2015-19 average by roughly 60 percent to 90 percent, the study shows.
Dallas-Fort Worth has seen similar startup declines (162,312 in 2021 vs. 153,378 in 2024), but the San Antonio metro area recorded higher application volume in 2023 and 2024 (37,412 and 35,798, respectively) than it did in 2021 (34,208)…