Exploring Startup Geography - Atlanta and Silicon Valley

http://techdrawl.com/an-introduction-from-35k-feet/

by rjurney • 17 years ago

25 14 17 years ago

rjurney5• 17 years ago

This is the first in a multi-part series. I'm staying the week in Palo Alto, talking to entrepreneurs, investors, etc. and trying to capture the 'Valley Advantage'

pxlpshr• 17 years ago

This is awesome. You have a free place to stay in Austin, TX for a week on West 5th street if you'd like to extend your research. Please contact me if interested.

This town has it's edge in B2B but there are a lot of people here seeking to add B2C to that list (the fun stuff), especially given UT is a campus of 50k young bloods. ATX has a low cost of living/business, great public schools, healthy state economy, no state income tax, and liberal-centric social policies. We produce a lot of talent @ UT, but it's milked out of here by GOOG, AAPL, MS, SUN, etc. as soon as it graduates.

TX doesn't have quite the goods as SF (especially in terms of financing — but easy to bootstrap), however Austin is a city most people move here and end up not leaving.

chaostheory• 17 years ago

Speaking as a former ATL resident and ramblin wreck, I think you have to stay in the valley at least a couple of months to really get the feel. I'm not really sure how much you can get in a week. In my opinion, it's way too short. I would say the same thing of Austin and Seattle too.

rjurney5• 17 years ago

I respectfully disagree. Its like I entered the Magic Kingdom - this place is disneyland for computer dorks. It hits you immediately.

iamelgringo• 17 years ago

Enjoy your stay.

If you're still in town on Tuesday, we have Hackers and Founders scheduled in Mountain view: www.hackersandfounders.com . I'd be happy to buy you a beer.

b8sell• 17 years ago

Can't wait to read the next one

plucas• 17 years ago

Interesting - A professor I had last semester is mentioned on that page.

quizbiz• 17 years ago

Does anyone know of Tech Square does anything with Emory, or is the start up culture confined to Georgia Tech?

Oompa• 17 years ago

Tech Square is part of the Georgia Tech campus, so I would assume it's pretty confined to Georgia Tech.

mattculbreth• 17 years ago

Some of the biotech companies work with both Emory and Tech. That's a couple blocks away though.

rjurney5• 17 years ago

Any startup/university activity that I'm aware of is all associated with Georgia Tech. Tech Square is the community's core. But I'm not too familiar with biotech startups.

rjurney5• 17 years ago

pg, were you cycling in Palo Alto today? We thought we saw you cycle past.

funkymonkey• 17 years ago

I often wonder if those of ya'll (sorry, couldn't resist) in the Bay Area understand that this anxiety exists. It does, and it drives many of us to drop our drawl and head westward.

I worked for a very well-funded startup in DC a few years back that failed miserably. When the end was nigh, I overheard C-levels say things like "you know, I can't help but think that location played a role in this." Did we have money? Yes. Did we have talent? Yes. Could our location change the fact that our management made stupid decisions? No. But, when you're looking for excuses the location factor is always there. And, as tech entrepreneur on the east coast it's always in your mind as you debate your next big thing.

I'd be very interested to know if those of you who are in the Bay Area with successful startups feel like your same company (funding, employees, etc) would be as successful in a different location.

rjurney5• 17 years ago

So far... from the interviews I have conducted, the answer is usually "No."

Exploring Startup Geography - Atlanta and Silicon Valley

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