Waco is at an once-in-a-generation moment of opportunity.
We get to decide what Waco becomes.
Growth is accelerating. Development is rising. A new wave of talent, creativity, and momentum is moving through our city.
Fuel founders. grow waco.
Development plans
Imagine downtown Waco in 2035
The sidewalks are alive—people sit under shaded cafe patios sipping drinks and chatting while storefronts buzz with businesses that didn’t exist a decade ago. Families stroll to neighborhood shops for locally-made treats,, students gather after class, and the air hums with conversation from entrepreneurs building companies that hire locally and keep value in Waco. You can feel the momentum in every block—a downtown where creativity, community, and commerce collide to shape a stronger, more vibrant city.
Boom. 👊
Waco’s growth isn’t a guess. It’s measurable.
Top urban economics research identifies seven signs a city is ready to accelerate. Waco is showing all seven signs—an uncommon, pivotal alignment
(Brookings, the EDA, ICMA, Kauffman Foundation)
Waco’s Boom Indicators
Boom indicator
Waco's evidence
01
Steady population growth and strong in-migration
47K residents added from 2015–25 (18% growth); Waco MSA population 309K in 2025; Waco proper median age 29—one of the youngest in Texas.
02
Expansion of major anchor institutions
Baylor University, Amazon, Ascension Providence, Baylor Scott & White expanding operations—anchors only grow when long-term opportunity is expected.
03
Housing demand outpacing supply
Home values up 104% from 2015-2025; Residential building permits have more than doubled between 2010 and 2025—strong, sustained demand signals growth.
04
New jobs and new businesses rising together
25,000+ jobs added 2015-25; low unemployment; rising small business creation—classic early-boom pattern.
05
A diversified, resilient industry mix
2025's balance: healthcare and education (16.7%), trade and transportation (17.5%), government (17.9%), manufacturing (11.4%), and professional services (9.3%) —creating a stable foundation for long-term, founder-led growth.
06
Rising national visibility and tourism momentum
2M+ visitors annually via Magnolia; tourism to regional attractions up five consecutive years, hotel revenue up four consecutive years ‘21-’24; rising national media attention.
07
Public, private, and philanthropic investment happening simultaneously
$1.4B active and scheduled investment for downtown; city, developers, universities, and donors investing at once—strongest indicator of an emerging boom cycle.
IT'S TIME.
Let’s create catalytic fuel for Waco’s economic future.
Waco’s momentum is real—but without strategic investment, growth often benefits only a few. With the right support, this can become lasting economic mobility for families, neighborhoods, and generations.
That’s why Startup Waco exists: to ensure this rising tide benefits all Wacoans. Your investment today in Startup Waco helps determine the Waco we experience 10, 20, and 50 years from now.
Good intentions don’t always create real change
Frustrated by charities that treat symptoms instead of solving root problems?
Wondering where the true return is on the dollars you donate?
Wanting to invest in something exciting that genuinely builds Waco’s future?
Tired of giving out of civic duty without seeing real results?
Welcome to the high-return way to give back
Your dollars become catalytic capital that creates jobs and keeps value in Waco.
Your investment builds lasting mobility—not temporary relief or short-term fixes.
You see real ROI through local founders, local stories, and local outcomes.
You help strengthen the entrepreneurial infrastructure that shapes Waco’s future.
let's go.
Multiply your investment and create a rising tide for all of Waco.
We know what it’s like to give your valuable resources because you care about Waco but to still wonder whether your generosity is creating the kind of lasting impact you hope for. You’ve worked hard for what you have, and when you share it, you want it to build something real, something future-focused, something that truly strengthens Waco.
We feel the same way. We’re Wacoans, many from families who’ve been here for generations, and we believe the best way to lift our city long-term is to support the businesses that grow jobs and expand opportunity for everyone.
Startup Waco is a clear, strategic pathway for people like you to invest in the future of the city you love.
