I believe you are incorrect on both counts. The Texas Medical Center and the Energy sector in Houston are massive industries that have created tons of large companies. Just not the hacker news type, they actually have solid revenue, ipo, and continue making money.
Austin as a liberal island is also a bad Texas stereotype. I live in Austin now but was born in El Paso which has been an entrenched democratic stronghold for decades. San Antonio, Houston(most diverse city in the US), and Dallas are all also blue-voting urban areas. The Texas state constitution is just notorious for giving rural districts a lot of power and blatant gerrymandering.
Austin as a liberal island is also a bad Texas stereotype. I live in Austin now but was born in El Paso which has been an entrenched democratic stronghold for decades. San Antonio, Houston(most diverse city in the US), and Dallas are all also blue-voting urban areas. The Texas state constitution is just notorious for giving rural districts a lot of power and blatant gerrymandering.