Good news first: Funding is on the upswing for technology startups in the country’s midsection.

Last year, nearly $4.4 billion was invested in companies based in the center of the country, up 67 percent compared to 2010. Tech startups are on pace to receive $5.3 billion by year’s end.

The not-as-good news is that states like Texas, Colorado and Illinois lead the pack, reporting more deals and for greater amounts of money.

Those are a few of the findings in a new study from CB Insights. Lead Bank commissioned the research, along with forthcoming reports on financial tech, ag tech and minority- and women-led ventures. The information was unveiled during a talk Thursday at Techweek Kansas City.

Since 2010, Texas has recorded $6.8 billion in investment. Colorado received $3.1 billion, and Illinois has seen $5 billion. Missouri, meanwhile, totaled $1.1 billion. Kansas, $591 million.

Inside Missouri, St. Louis represented 56 percent of deals since early 2014—36 deals, worth more than $40 million. Kansas City had seven during the same timeframe, though they were worth more: $43.3 million.

Joshua Rowland, Lead Bank’s vice chairman, said the report wouldn’t necessarily “tell us a feel-good story about VC funding in our area.” But it would provide a solid base of facts that will help community leaders address the issue directly.

Anand Sanwal, CB Insights’ CEO, walked the audience through his team’s findings. One of the biggest challenges facing Midwestern states, he said, is the need to hold on to their growing companies.

When young companies are ready to really scale up, many feel like they need to go to Silicon Valley to find the necessary capital—and, just as important, the necessary talent. Silicon Valley has a large, highly trained workforce across multiple disciplines. That’s an advantage that’s going to be “tough to replicate in other markets,” Sanwal said.

“You have to be a place where people want to live.”