Another California technology company is moving its headquarters to Texas — and this one is bringing new jobs with it.
Doodle Labs, which makes communications technology for drones, robots and other unmanned systems, has moved its U.S. headquarters from the Los Angeles area to Austin, taking 100 jobs with it. Executives have already relocated and the company is operating from temporary Austin offices while searching for a permanent headquarters and testing/manufacturing space.
Doodle Labs has about 100 employees worldwide and currently six in Austin. Co-CEO Amol Parikh says the company plans to increase the Austin workforce to 30 to 50 employees by the end of 2027.
Why Texas? The company specifically cited Austin’s growing defense and aerospace industry, proximity to U.S. Army research, easier real-world product testing, available contract manufacturers and its central location. Parikh summed up the comparison this way: “Austin is the home for hardware.”
I found no disclosed state or local tax incentive or subsidy tied to the relocation, and Texas doesn’t need it. The Lone Star state offers no state tax, whereas California’s’ top rate is 13.3 percent. There’s also considerable lower operating costs and corporate taxes in Texas.
California didn’t just lose another corporate address. Doodle Labs says the hardware, defense ecosystem and room to test its technology are in Texas — and that’s where it plans to put the new jobs.
