the most important place for business

15 best new cities for business

Looking for smart labor, solid infrastructure, and potential customers? Here are 15 markets to put on the map.

By Josh Dawsey and Rupali Arora

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Map design by Nicolas Rapp / Interactive graphic by Sheryl Sulistiawan

The Global 500 just keeps getting more, well, global. Yes, the U.S. still dominates the list, with 133 companies, but that number is down from 185 a decade ago. China continues its march, with 61 companies, vs. just 12 in 2001. Companies from India, Russia, Brazil, and other growth economies are moving up in the rankings -- and for the first time a Colombian company, Ecopetrol, made the Global 500. Simply put: If you’re doing business with the biggest companies in the world, you’re not just spending time in New York, London, and Hong Kong.
With that in mind, Fortune set out to find the next business hot spots. We looked at economic data, asked business leaders where they planned to open new offices and factories, and called on Booz & Company consultants to suss out emerging innovation hubs, especially in Asia. The results? Check out the map above to see where your next business trip might take yo