San Diego-based web security software developer Websense is moving its headquarters and more than 400 employees to Austin, Texas, company officials announced Thursday.
Websense, founded in 1994, was one of the companies that helped the Sorrento Valley area become known as a high-tech haven, setting a foundation for the many biotech firms that have sprouted in that section of northern San Diego.
It was purchased last year by Austin-based Vista Equity Partners, leading to speculation that a move was possible. Vista also recently purchased two other San Diego companies — the Active Network, which provides online event registration, and Omnitracs, which makes fleet tracking software.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry said the state lured the company, along with San Francisco-based Dropbox, by using investments from the Texas Enterprise Fund, created to help businesses in Texas grow and increase jobs.
The moves are contingent on finishing agreements on local incentives in Austin.
“We are expanding our presence into Austin because it represents an energetic, high-technology hub that will further enable us to meet growing demand for our technology and better serve our global customer base,” Websense CEO John McCormack said. “Our top priority continues to be exceeding customer expectations and protecting organizations from data theft and advanced cyberattacks.”
Perry said the company plans a $9.9 million capital investment in the Lone Star State. He has taken several highly publicized tours of California in recent years, touting his state as a better place to conduct business.
— City News Service