Opportunity Austin was a five-year, five-county economic development initiative aimed at fostering job-creating investment in Central Texas. Launched in 2004, this regional strategy aimed to create 72,000 regional jobs and increase regional payroll by $2.9 billion. To implement the strategy, the regional business community committed to invest $14.4 million.
The Greater Austin Chamber unveiled the next 5 year phase of its Opportunity Austin strategy, 2014-2018. Business and community leaders joined the Chamber and its regional partners as it announced the new program of work and the funding campaign to support it on December 12, 2012
Opportunity Austin 3.0 will focus on initiatives for the economy, talent, and place. Top priorities include boosting economic diversification to proactively strengthen the economy, deepening the talent pool through development and attraction, and keeping the Greater Austin region attractive to entrepreneurs, business leaders and site selectors through expanded advocacy on issues such as a comprehensive regional transportation system and regional collaboration.
Opportunity Austin 3.0 is targeting over eight key industries for future economic development, including: Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy & Power Technology, Data Management, Creative & Digital Media Technology, Life Sciences, and Corporate HQ & Regional Offices. The goal of Opportunity Austin 3.0 is to work toward measureable and impactful goals through a set of metrics which include Total Private Employment, Average Annual Wages, Per Capita Income, Poverty Rate, Child Poverty Rate, Educational Attainment (BA or higher), Commuters Who Drive Alone, and Congestion Index.