A new report details the lucrative starting salaries offered to new college graduates by leading consulting firms such as Bain, BCG, McKinsey, Accenture, and EY, with some exceeding $100,000 base pay.

After over 30 years with the Recording Industry Association of America, Joel Flatow is leaving to establish his own strategic consulting firm.

Three large consulting firms, two of which are moving from Ruoholahti, are relocating to a few hundred-meter radius in Helsinki's core, signaling a revitalization of the city center.

West Monroe, a midsize advisory firm, has developed AI agents that provide free consulting advice, with its AI chief stating that some insights now cost almost nothing to produce.

A new analysis by consulting firm Capgemini reports a significant increase in the number of dollar millionaires worldwide, with Austria also experiencing substantial growth, driven by booming stock markets.

Investigations into the 2017 presidential campaign accounts of La France Insoumise (LFI) have concluded in Paris, with four individuals indicted. Justice suspects Sophia Chikirou's consulting firm of overbilling for services.

Morgan Stanley has reaffirmed its "Overweight" rating on Aon plc (AON), suggesting continued confidence in the insurance brokerage and consulting firm's stock performance.

German consulting firm Roland Berger is establishing a new AI startup in collaboration with Jonas Andrulis, founder of Aleph Alpha, with CEO Stefan Schaible discussing their plans and challenges with AI.

The rise of artificial intelligence is prompting major consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain to re-evaluate their fee structures and business models.

Consulting giants like McKinsey are re-evaluating their pricing strategies as clients increasingly question the value of traditional advice. The shift is driven by a growing preference for fees based on successful task completion, influenced by the rise of AI.

British energy consulting firm Aurora Energy has positioned Bulgaria alongside Germany and the UK as top European destinations for energy investments, specifically highlighting its leading global role in battery technology.

Maren Schmidt, an actuary at a major consulting firm, earns over €100,000 gross annually working 75% part-time, highlighting her appreciation for the profession.

Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya has cautioned major consulting firms like PwC and Accenture against forming close partnerships with AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic, arguing it strengthens the AI firms.

A German economic audit and tax consulting firm highlights how artificial intelligence and digitalization are driving significant growth and transforming the work of auditors and consultants.

OpenAI is reportedly set to acquire a consulting firm as part of a new private equity joint venture, expanding its strategic business operations.

The Greek government is being pressed to provide full details regarding the significant increase in public contracts awarded to 'Big 4' consulting firms, particularly those funded by the Recovery Fund.

A Brazilian executive from Bahia has been appointed to lead the Latin American operations of LTPlabs, a Portuguese data analysis and AI consulting firm, as part of its expansion strategy into the region.

The technology group Seidor has grown by 8%, achieving a turnover of 1,174 million euros, and has opened a new AI center in Barcelona employing 200 people.

The number of apprenticeship and professionalization contracts in France's banking sector decreased by nearly 11% between 2024 and 2025, and by almost 17% in consulting firms during the same period, according to Atlas.

The rise of AI startups is fostering a closer relationship between Silicon Valley and the consulting industry, as AI companies increasingly rely on consultants to distribute their technology to businesses.

Google has launched a $750 million fund to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence solutions by businesses. This initiative involves partnerships with consulting firms, such as McKinsey, to help companies integrate AI technologies.

Consulting firm McKinsey & Company has partnered with ALICE Technologies to develop and implement generative AI solutions for scheduling. This collaboration aims to optimize project planning and execution using advanced AI.

Consulting firms, banks, and law offices in Denmark are engaging in a quiet but fierce battle to attract the brightest students, offering lavish perks like sushi, clay pigeon shooting, and trips to Japan.

Latvian national airline airBaltic has engaged international aviation consulting firm Seabury Securities LLC as its strategic and financial consultant to improve financial performance.

Forbes has released its 2026 list recognizing America's best management consulting firms, highlighting top performers in the industry.

Company org charts are flattening as a result of AI. Getty Images; Tyler Le/BI Consulting firms are using AI to streamline operations by reducing management layers. AI is helping leaders manage…

A consulting firm will investigate whether the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (Hus), Helsinki, and Vantaa and Kerava should continue using the Apotti IT system or switch to a different information system.

The new Sąvaržėlė business center in Vilnius, designed by RSHP, is attracting tenants, with audit and consulting firm Audifina set to occupy the 5th floor.

Morison Global, an association of independent accounting and consulting firms, has expanded its network by adding new member practices in Uruguay and the United States.

UK consulting firms are drawing new recruits with attractive perks like Ōura rings and promises of upward mobility, despite facing high attrition rates and long working hours.

A dispute has emerged regarding the Rača industrial waste landfill near Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, involving several stakeholders with conflicting interests. The controversy includes the operator Sahva Company and the consulting firm Enova from Sarajevo, with opposing visions presented to Zenica councilors.

AIM-SEELL, an institute, has partnered with Tracer World, a Pakistan-based consulting firm, to expand its global reach in executive education, marking a new international milestone.

Jack Kim, a former MBB consultant, has quit his job at Bain to co-found a mentorship company aimed at helping others secure positions at top consulting firms, sharing insights on what separates successful candidates.

Four from McKinsey & Company's newest class of partners share their tips for success. McKinsey & Company McKinsey's partner class shrank to 224 this year, a decline from the pandemic-era boom of 2022. New partners at McKinsey represent 65 cities, 45 countries, and speak over 40 languages globally. Four from the latest partner class say relationships were key to their climb up the ranks. Few promotions in corporate America are as competitive as making partner at McKinsey & Company. Last Nove...

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won met To Lam, general secretary of Vietnam's Communist Party in Washington to discuss cooperation in the energy and industrial sectors. According to a LinkedIn post by consulting firm The Asia Group on Thursday, the meeting took place on Feb. 20 during a TAG-hosted event in Washington. SK Innovation CEO Choo Hyeong-wook and TAG Chairman Kurt Campbell attended the talks. Chey was visiting Washington to attend the Trans-Pacific Dialogue hosted by the Chey Institute for

A study by consulting firm GiPA has identified the primary reason millions of cars are sent to repair shops each year, highlighting the associated costs and inconvenience for owners.

OpenAI has signed multi-year agreements with major consulting firms to accelerate the integration of AI agents into enterprise production workflows for its customers.

Consulting firm keen to increase uptake of technology and is reportedly monitoring adoption by workforce Accenture has reportedly started tracking staff use of its AI tools and will take this into con

Consulting firms are actively building and deploying thousands of AI agents, but industry insiders are still debating how these agents generate tangible value and what their true worth is.

Despite the significant impact of AI on the consulting industry, major firms are still actively hiring entry-level workers, with base salaries ranging from $84,000 to $112,000.

The RCMP is investigating an allegation that a local planning consulting firm's principal offered campaign donations in exchange for votes from Calgary city council members, as revealed in a court document related to a corruption probe.

Holger Friedrich, a newspaper publisher, has founded a new company to provide political consulting services to businesses and governments, asserting its compatibility with his existing role.

A consulting firm founded by the former president of Infarmed, Eurico Castro Alves, reportedly introduced a businessman later convicted of cocaine trafficking for a cannabis business deal. This is the first in a series of investigations into the matter.

Three private human resources consulting firms, with a combined total of ten employees, are procedurally validating appointments in Romanian state-owned companies that manage assets worth tens of billions of lei and impact essential economic sectors.

IT consulting firms like Accenture are experiencing a share price rout as investors question whether AI will disrupt or strengthen the industry.

Colliers International is set to acquire Pluritec, a multidisciplinary engineering consulting firm.

Artificial intelligence technology is creating opportunities for smaller, well-funded challengers to gain market share from the Big Four and other established consulting giants. This development threatens to disrupt the traditional consulting industry model.

Norway is experiencing a rapid decline in the number of gas stations, with an average of ten stations closing each month since 2020, totaling 430 closures. A Norwegian consulting firm estimates only 730 stations will remain.

Consulting firm Capgemini has reached an agreement with unions to implement 710 job cuts in Spain, with approximately 124 positions affected in Catalonia, prioritizing voluntary departures.

Saudi Arabia has reportedly halted new contracts with Western consulting firms and delayed some payments as the government manages its expanding fiscal deficit.

An Accenture executive stated that the consulting firm is hiring a greater number of entry-level workers directly from college this year compared to the previous year. This indicates a shift in their recruitment strategy.

A specific fund has completed the sale of its $36 million stake in Huron Consulting, a move that could have implications for both the fund and the consulting firm.

Kreston Iberaudit, an auditing and consulting firm, has reported 4.5 million euros in revenue from its Barcelona office. The Barcelona headquarters is its largest by team size, employing 60 of the 300 staff across the Iberian Peninsula.

Blochamps, a consulting firm, argues that Hungary's proposed 1 billion forint wealth tax threshold is too low and should be raised to 10 billion forints. They believe the current threshold could endanger tens of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises.

OpenAI and Anthropic are investing billions to establish new consulting firms, aiming to teach companies how to effectively utilize AI technology.

Spanish consulting firm Indra is implementing a plan to cut 2,000 jobs in Latin America, attributing the decision to the impact of artificial intelligence on the consulting sector. The company has already executed 1,000 of these departures to 'streamline' its Minsait division, which saw only 1% growth until March, though no layoffs are planned for Spain.

Seoul has been ranked eighth globally in financial competitiveness by the UK-based consulting firm Z/Yen, which evaluated 137 cities worldwide in its latest Global Financial Centers Index.

The Montenegrin government is facing accusations of secretly increasing the excise duty on diesel fuel. Critics and consulting firms allege that these changes were implemented without public announcement.

Consulting firm Grant Thornton is reportedly tying US partner bonuses to their use of artificial intelligence, a move spearheaded by advisory services managing partner Tom Puthiyamadam.

PASOK MP Nadia Giannakopoulou has questioned Minister of State Akis Skertsos regarding the total value of contracts awarded by the Greek state to the "Big 4" consulting firms and other large consulting firms between 2019-2026.

Berlingske journalists daily challenge readers with 10 new questions on interesting topics, including a recent quiz focusing on consulting firms.

A firm has recommended several changes for the University of Connecticut, aiming to improve low faculty morale, alleviate overburdened staff, and enhance overall operational efficiencies.

Capgemini has announced a collective dismissal (ERE) in Spain, citing the need to adapt to a new paradigm driven by the impact of artificial intelligence on its operations. The consulting firm employs over 11,000 professionals in the country.

Global professional services company Accenture has announced the acquisition of Keepler Data Tech, a data and AI consulting firm.

Industry representatives argue that tech-intensive consulting firms are indispensable for Sweden's ongoing rapid transformation, addressing challenges like technological development, geopolitical instability, and skill shortages.

Architecture and engineering consulting firm Sweco Lietuva will provide management and technical supervision services for the design and construction of Lithuania Defense Services' Leopard 2 A8 tank assembly plant in Kaunas district, Lithuania.

Consulting firm NHG has updated its report on the future profile of Länsi-Pohja Hospital, leading to only minor cost and operational adjustments, with previously planned reductions remaining in effect.

Meet America’s Best Management Consulting Firms 2026  Forbes

International banks and leading consulting firms in the UAE and Qatar are taking precautionary measures due to Iranian threats.

A consulting firm from Zagreb has presented a detailed report outlining two business models for the restructuring of the Montenegrin company "Budvanska rivijera" to the Council for Privatization and Capital Projects.

The 10 largest banks in Europe recorded annual profits of 92 billion euros, an 8% increase, according to consulting firm EY.

Argentina recorded the world’s second-worst industrial decline from 2023 to 2025, said a consulting firm that analyzed data from the United Nations. In the last two years, Argentina’s manufacturing sector… La entrada Argentina’s industry records the second-worst decline worldwide in two years se publicó primero en Buenos Aires Herald.

OpenAI and Anthropic are reportedly enlisting consulting firms to gain an edge in their competition for the enterprise market, with OpenAI recently announcing partnerships with McKinsey and BCG.

A curious situation has emerged involving The Wave contractors and a newly established consulting firm.

Huron, a consulting firm, has announced financial targets for 2026, aiming for up to $1.86 billion in revenue and double-digit EPS growth, attributing this outlook to accelerating AI adoption.

OpenAI is deepening its collaborations with major consulting firms to accelerate the adoption of its enterprise AI solutions, following CEO Sam Altman's emphasis on prioritizing sales to business clients.

AJ Eckstein AJ Eckstein AJ Eckstein was a management consultant at a large consulting firm, earning a six-figure salary. Reading "Dare to Lead" by Brené Brown led Eckstein to quit his job and start his own company. He shares the four lessons he learned from the book and how he implemented them in his life. AJ Eckstein spent the first four years of his career chasing a "dream job," following the formula he'd been told would lead to success. He'd graduated from the University of Southern Cali...

Consulting firms like Accenture are using incentives and penalties, including linking promotions to AI tool log-ins, to encourage senior staff to adopt new technologies.

Seven people and two companies have been indicted on charges of manslaughter and corruption following a fire in Hong Kong last November that killed 168 people in a residential complex in Tai Po. Among those charged are executives and inspectors from a consulting firm involved in the building's renovation, as well as the main contractor.

France Télévisions vehemently denies accusations that its CEO, Delphine Ernotte, lied before a parliamentary inquiry commission, stating the group never used a private consulting firm for her preparation, despite acknowledging a lunch meeting.

A consulting firm, founded by Patricia Soler and Christophe Martinot, helps organizations achieve resilience through a combination of vision, coaching, and human development, focusing on people-centric transformation.

Dubious immigration consulting firms, many based in China, are reportedly helping individuals establish shell companies to apply for business manager visas, prompting a crackdown.

The use of Artificial Intelligence has exacerbated an existing problem of fake citations and invented sources in reports, with major consulting firms publishing AI-generated reports and academic science struggling with verification issues.

A report by consulting firm CORE.XP indicates that not a single new foreign brand entered the Russian market during the first five months of 2026, according to Russian business daily Vedomosti.

Two individuals left stable jobs to establish a consulting firm, which has successfully raised $580,000 this year. They detail the risks taken and their journey, even through personal challenges like loss and divorce.

KPMG is implementing a unified strategy to tackle two major challenges posed by artificial intelligence for the Big Four consulting firms, aiming to navigate the evolving technological landscape.

Finnish consulting firm Reaktor, known for its growing software business, is preparing to become the first artificial intelligence company to be listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange, with its CEO highlighting AI as a key opportunity.

Brynja Rún Brynjólfsdóttir has become a new member of the ownership group at the consulting firm Árnason Faktor.

Finland's defense sector is increasingly drawing interest from foreign investors, according to a consulting firm. This trend highlights the growing appeal of the country's defense industry to international capital.

Dmitry Budyansky, head of Moldova's National Commission for Financial Market (NCFM), rejected accusations from former PAS member Olga Tăbîrță, who claimed he lobbied for a consulting firm and was involved in her expulsion from the party. The NCFM issued a statement regarding the allegations.

Chamath Palihapitiya has warned consulting firms like PwC and Accenture against partnering with AI companies OpenAI and Anthropic, citing cybersecurity risks. He described such collaborations as "letting the fox into the henhouse," highlighting potential conflicts of interest.

A consulting firm calculated that the Tisza government's proposed income tax reduction plan would result in a 300 billion forint shortfall, requiring revenue increases to be sustainable long-term.

Consulting firm Capgemini has issued a warning to CEOs, emphasizing that the integration and strategic importance of physical AI can no longer be overlooked in business operations.

Consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal has set an ambitious target to generate $3.5 billion in revenue from its artificial intelligence-related services and work by the year 2028.

Leaders from EY, PwC, and KPMG, collectively known as the Big Four professional services firms, are integrating AI tools into their workforces, sharing insights on its practical applications.

The consulting firm Arctica Finance believes that the effects of EU membership would be positive for large Icelandic fishing companies, even if no exceptions were granted from the common...

OpenAI is expanding its collaborations with major global consulting firms to accelerate the adoption of its Codex artificial intelligence tools within large companies, amidst increasing competition in the AI market.

The consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is expanding its services by entering the interim management business, offering temporary managers for companies during transitional periods.

Damage to the hundred-meter flagpole in Hamina, Finland, has been revealed, with a consulting firm recommending the replacement of its old coating and plans for its demolition.

Reports indicate that the consulting firm owned by Vuk Jeremić achieved a substantial 209 percent increase in revenue during the previous year. This significant financial growth has drawn public attention to the firm's performance.

According to a report by consulting firm EY, Finland recorded over 200 corporate acquisitions in January-March, marking a record number for the beginning of the year, with more deals expected.

Consulting firm Horwath & Horwath has assessed the privatization of 'Budvanska rivijera' in Montenegro as justified, but raised concerns about the proposed reconstruction model, deeming it risky. The privatization is considered necessary due to the aging of key hotel products despite significant investment.

Consulting firm McKinsey & Company has agreed to contribute $125 million to the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy trust, settling claims related to its advisory role in the pharmaceutical company's opioid sales practices.

The consulting firm BearingPoint has moved its Bucharest office to the Timpuri Noi Square development.

Nebraska Senate candidate Dan Osborn is reportedly restructuring his campaign after a complaint alleged improper payments to his wife and other relatives through PACs and consulting firms.

International consulting businesses in Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi face threats from Iran's drones and missiles, yet despite evacuation plans, many firms are reluctant to abandon the lucrative Gulf market.

JLR has officially confirmed that chief designer Gerry McGovern is leaving the company after 21 years to establish his own consulting firm, a move previously reported in December.

Fashion retailer H&M and consulting firm EY have jointly published a white paper outlining the business case for decarbonisation, highlighting its economic benefits and strategic importance.

Accenture CEO Julie Sweet announced that mastering AI is now a mandatory requirement for employees seeking promotions within the consulting firm, emphasizing it as a fundamental aspect of their work.

Consulting firms are experiencing a significant increase in business as companies seek expertise to navigate and implement artificial intelligence technologies, leading to a boom in the consulting sector.

Crowe, a leading accounting and consulting firm, has announced the appointment of Bhavin Bharakda as a new consulting partner.

Hungarian business leaders are focusing on the imperative of technological transformation, based on a survey of Hungarian CEOs conducted by international consulting firm PwC. PwC conducted its fifteenth survey of Hungarian CEOs, which is based on PwC’s global CEO survey. During the Hungarian survey, PwC experts interviewed the CEOs of 210 domestic companies between October […] The post Business Leaders Focus on the Imperative of Technological Transformation appeared first on Hungary Today.

The Mitsotakis government has reportedly channeled over 1.5 billion euros to private consulting firms since 2021, and the Prime Minister prefers private briefings over a council of political leaders.

The US Department of Homeland Security awarded a $250,000 public relations contract to a firm with ties to Corey Lewandowski, raising questions about federal procurement guidelines and partisan loyalty.

Maim, a consulting firm specializing in institutional and media relations, is strengthening its position in strategic communication and market research by investing in Only Numbers and Euromedia Research, with Ghisleri appointed as CEO.

A major consulting and audit multinational is reportedly making AI proficiency a mandatory requirement for employees seeking promotions, emphasizing the need for staff to train in artificial intelligence.

PwC, like many consulting firms, is investing heavily in engineering talent. Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images PwC's engineers have created a new AI agent to tackle enterprise-grade spreadsheets. Spreadsheets are unsexy, but crucial to corporate operations, PwC exec Matt Wood told Business Insider. Traditional AIs "just kind of shrug and give up" when they meet a big spreadsheet, Wood said. The real way to judge a company's AI expertise isn't in the flashy headlines, but by looking at the "unsexy" work rolling out behind the scenes, Matt Wood, PwC's global and US commercial technology and innovation officer, told Business Insider. If Wood's theory holds — that real AI prowess shows up in unglamorous advances — PwC's latest launch is certainly notable. After all, what could be less sexy than spreadsheets? The Big Four firm announced this week that it has developed a "frontier AI agent" capable of reasoning over vast, enterprise-grade spreadsheets — something that conventional AI systems struggle with because of their complexity, size, and interdependencies. The agent can understand and navigate spreadsheets, mimicking "how experienced practitioners work: scanning, searching, jumping across tabs, integrating charts and receipts, and reasoning," PwC said in a press release. Why spreadsheets matter Wood, who joined PwC in 2024 from a role as vice president of AI at Amazon Web Services, said that when he started, he'd noticed the wraparound, ultra-wide monitors filled with spreadsheets: "That's all anybody was working on," he said. But these were not "your school soccer team budget spreadsheet," said Wood. The spreadsheets that power large enterprises are enormously complex, often containing millions of cells, charts, graphs, images, receipts, and dozens of interlinked workbooks. "They are more like financial engines than they are spreadsheets," he told Business Insider. These files often underpin business-critical decisions, yet PwC "found that even today's modern AI was very poorly suited to managing these big enterprise spreadsheets," Wood said. "They just kind of shrug and give up for want of a better word." Matt Wood, PwC's global and US commercial technology and innovation officer. PwC Creating an AI capable of understanding and reasoning across large, complicated spreadsheet applications is what PwC's engineers set out to solve. Their solution was a "genuine advance in the field," Wood said. The agent has unlocked use cases across assurance, advisory, and tax, and boosts time saving on some tasks "from literally days to hours," said Wood. He gave the example of audit walkthroughs, where teams previously spent weeks manually gathering and validating evidence across numerous complex spreadsheets that existing AI tools couldn't handle. Now, users simply upload the files, and the frontier agent automatically maps their structure, extracts relevant data, and performs validation and consistency checks — tasks that would otherwise require combing through millions of rows by hand. The result is faster meetings, less back-and-forth with clients, and cleaner, structured data ready for deeper AI-driven analysis, he said. Consulting powered by engineers PwC's AI spreadsheet agent was built in-house by engineers — a function the firm has been rapidly expanding as it shifts beyond the traditional roles associated with the Big Four. In January, PwC launched a dedicated tech engineering career track to attract more technical talent, saying it wants to become "a destination for top engineering talent." Previously, the firm offered only consulting and accounting career paths. Wood told Business Insider that adding the engineering track is "a signpost" of its future plans. At the same time, PwC is retraining non-technical employees. The US branch of the firm recently announced a companywide workplace learning strategy focused on knowledge sharing and on developing a mix of human and AI skills needed for the future. Wood described the work engineers do at PwC as having two modes: "transforming today" and "building for tomorrow." The first focuses on improving current workflows — reducing back-and-forth with clients, increasing trust, and delivering work more efficiently. The second reimagines professional services from scratch: "If you were to start from a blank piece of paper, what would professional services look like in an AI agent world?" said Wood. PwC engineers also work directly on client engagements, building AI systems tailored to specific projects. For example, they help organizations reorganize and redesign their finance functions from the ground up using agents, Wood said. Many of the consulting industry's top players are pursuing similar investments in technical talent as AI reshapes the work they do. Accenture, already one of consulting's most technically sophisticated players, has added nearly 40,000 AI and data professionals in the last two years. They now account for roughly 10% of its global headcount. EY, another Big Four firm, has added 61,000 technologists since 2023, according to its latest annual report. Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at pthompson@businessinsider.com or Signal at Polly_Thompson.89. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely. Read the original article on Business Insider

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images; Getty Images; Rebecca Zisser/BI Tech's elite are taking their talents to South Beach — again. In January, David Sacks, the venture capitalist and crypto and AI czar, proclaimed that Miami will soon replace New York City as America's financial capital. Stripe's Patrick Collison has been marveling at the city's "boomtown" vibes. With California flirting with a one-time tax on billionaires, said billionaires like Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Mark Zuckerberg are buying oceanfront mansions. And on Tuesday, Palantir announced that it's moving its headquarters from Denver to Miami. Is Miami the next Silicon Valley? We've been here before. The pandemic sent waves of coastal workers to the city, turning it into a Zoomtown full of online venture capitalists like Keith Rabois and Delian Asparouhov, bitcoin bull runners, and purveyors of the finest NFTs. Billboards went up in San Francisco featuring a mock tweet from then-Miami mayor Francis Suarez: "Thinking about moving to Miami? DM me." Here's the thing: It's easy to fall for Miami when a big chunk of the workforce is stuck at home and online. Five years later, it's a lot harder to build companies there. "Miami is great three months out of the year," says one prominent venture capitalist who moved to the city during the pandemic but is now returning to an established hub. While the Floridian tax benefits are real, the investor has found that the social scene hollows out in the summer as residents leave, making it "hard to build roots or have reliable friends." More critically for the startup ecosystem, the scene lacked the "hustle" of San Francisco or New York. Silicon Valley practically runs on a conveyor belt from Stanford and Caltech to Y Combinator's Dogpatch offices. The machine turns students into founders, builders into companies, and companies into the next wave of founders. Miami, meanwhile, lacks a major university to pipe in tech talent. Instead, the investor says, the city tends to attract people who have already "made it." Miami and Fort Lauderdale-based startups raised $3 billion in 2025. Bay Area-based startups raised $177 billion. The Miami market, while busy, significantly lags behind the major hubs. Startups in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro raised about $3 billion in 2025, per PitchBook, down from $8.6 billion in 2022, when money and crypto sloshed about. The Bay Area, by contrast, still grabs 52% of the nation's venture funding, with $177 billion in capital pouring in last year. Alligators may be all around in Miami, but unicorns are hard to find. In January, Cast AI, a startup that helps companies cut cloud costs, crossed the $1 billion valuation mark, becoming the region's first homegrown unicorn in years. Before that, Adam Neumann, the ousted WeWork cofounder, debuted his Miami residential real-estate venture, Flow, at a $1 billion valuation in 2022. Even Garry Tan, the Y Combinator president and gadfly who's usually first in line to dunk on San Francisco's politics, has been blunt about where the breeding grounds are best. Tan recently said on X that the accelerator still hasn't opened offices outside the Bay Area because founders are simply more likely to build unicorns there. According to a Business Insider analysis of Crunchbase data, of the at least 97 new unicorns that investors minted in 2025, 43 of them were based in the Bay Area. But those who dismiss the city entirely miss the point. Miami isn't the next San Francisco. It's establishing itself as something else. Patrick Murphy, a former Florida congressman and entrepreneur, says that Miami's tech scene is growing, it's just being built in "reverse order." Silicon Valley, he says, emerged from an if you build it, they will come approach: Engineers built great companies first, which eventually created fortunes that cycled back into the community to fund the next generation of companies. Miami, however, has a more if you come, they will build it tact. It's attracted the "wealth achievers" first — the family offices, private equity names, and already-successful founders who emigrated for lifestyle reasons. Finance heavyweights like Citadel and Thoma Bravo arrived early. Vanguard, one of the world's largest asset managers, is eyeing an expansion in Miami as it targets more Latin American wealth. The city is now importing the machinery that follows them. Legal, accounting, and consulting firms are opening local offices to stay close to clients — and scoop up star talent that no longer needs to live near HQ. This dynamic has established Miami as a "control center" for decision-makers, Murphy argues, but not yet the "factory floor" where the actual work gets done. Murphy says that despite running a successful construction-tech startup, Togal.AI, his engineering team has been offshore from the beginning because the local talent pool simply "didn't exist" when he started in 2019. "If you go to Miami, you're not going to see dozens of engineers at a Starbucks cranking away," he says. "That's not here yet." Still, Miami's flood of wealth is creating demand for startups built on the city's local economy, especially in property tech and fintech, Murphy says. Togal.AI's annual recurring revenue has grown 1,000% over the past two years, Murphy says, and is now raising fresh venture funding in order to hire dozens of new employees this year. Palantir's move immediately became a kind of Rorschach test for Miami's future. "Florida is the new crypto," one user wrote on X. Maya Bakhai, a Fort Lauderdale resident and founder of the early-stage venture firm Spice Capital, tells me that the city will flourish alongside "net new" industries that are still taking shape and where the center of gravity isn't locked in yet. Crypto firms like MoonPay and QuickNode still treat South Florida as a home base, she notes. A new space-tech accelerator backed by the state is trying to persuade founders to stick around by pairing them with funders. Bakhai's bigger bet is that just as New York became the hub for e-commerce, Miami could become the place where creator businesses get built. Research out of the University of Hong Kong found Miami has more top influencers per capita than New York or Los Angeles. And then there's Palantir, the strongest signal flare yet that tech is taking America's Playground seriously. It's hard to know what the data giant's HQ move will mean in practice — Palantir hasn't said how many employees it plans to relocate, or whether it will offer moving packages to lure talent south. The company did not respond to an email request for comment. If Palantir does move a meaningful slice of its workforce, it would give Miami something it's been short on: a marquee tech employer that can recruit and keep technical workers on the ground year-round. On X, Palantir's move immediately became a kind of Rorschach test for Miami's future. ""Florida is the future," cheered Andreessen Horowitz investor Katherine Boyle. Others were less convinced. "Florida is the new crypto," one user wrote. "For the next 20 years, nothing will change, but they will always tell you 'big things are happening in Florida.'" Turning Miami into Silicon Beach is a long game, Bakhai argues. It won't be built by the billionaires buying houses to snowbird in today, she argues, but by the young strivers arriving for their first serious jobs — the entry-level analysts heading to Citadel and the junior lawyers starting at firms like Orrick. For the first time, she says, ambitious graduates can launch careers in Miami instead of treating New York or San Francisco as the default. The payoff, she says, comes years later, when they eventually spin off to start their own companies. Until then, Miami remains largely a playground for the "made it" crowd, waiting in the sun for the builders to come. Melia Russell is a reporter with Business Insider, covering the intersection of law and technology. Read the original article on Business Insider