Missouri is the tech hub of the Midwest, and several companies are leveraging the state’s strengths in the industry as they look for new growth opportunities. Advocado is the latest company to announce plans to expand in the state. The advertising tech startup announced today that it is adding more than 100 high-paying tech jobs in St. Louis, Missouri.
“We’re excited to see Advocado expand in St. Louis,” Missouri Governor Mike Parson said. “The company’s commitment to innovation and growth has resulted in the creation of over 100 jobs that will provide new opportunities for Missourians to grow and succeed.”
The new jobs will be a combination of engineering, data science, customer success, operations, sales and marketing roles. Advocado attributes its rapid growth in Missouri to the state’s affordable real estate, low cost of living, and skilled workforce.
“Our passion for revitalizing the economy in St. Louis naturally attracted us to the urban core,” said Brian Handrigan, Co-Founder and CEO of Advocado. “At the same time, our collaboration with the regional team that was convened by Greater St. Louis, Inc. allowed us to see how the city could function as a launchpad for our growing business. Not only have we been able to escape the restrictions of a coastal tech hub, expand on a massive scale and develop our product, but we’ve also been able to thrive here knowing we’re a positive force combatting workforce displacement in the area.”
Brian Handrigan Co-Founder and CEO (left), Jeff Linihan Co-Founder and President (right)
Advocado’s executive team evaluated multiple markets for the company’s expansion – ultimately deciding to maintain and grow their headquarters in Missouri despite pressures to expand their business in a traditional coastal tech hub.
“Being in St. Louis allows us to embrace our core values and our commitment to an uplifting work culture,” said Jeff Linihan, Co-Founder, COO and President of Advocado. “We’re able to provide our diverse group of talented employees a space that is teeming with character and depth—it’s beyond physical structure. A building with the history and feeling of our current headquarters is hard to find outside of St. Louis City. As an AdTech company, we know that tech jobs, at their core, are creative and require the atmosphere to match; a farm of cubicles doesn’t compete with 15-foot ceilings and the cultural amenities of a world-class city. “
Several local and state organizations partnered to assist Advocado with the expansion in St. Louis, including AllianceSTL, Missouri Partnership, the Missouri Department of Economic Development, the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership and the St. Louis Development Corporation.
“As a burgeoning tech hub, the Greater St. Louis metro offers the affordability, flexibility, investment potential and talent pool a business like Advocado’s needs to move from start-up to standout,” said Steve Johnson, Chief Business Attraction Officer, Greater St. Louis Inc., and President of the AllianceSTL initiative. “We join our state and regional partners in recognizing and applauding Advocado’s commitment to our region and to the urban core of St. Louis, advancing a significant goal in the STL 2030 Jobs Plan.”
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