identifying regional strengths, growing your ecosystem
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TRANSCRIPT
Finding your strengths. Growing
your region.
@MackKolarich
GDL = Awesome
But what’s next?
State of entrep
Regions Matter
How do we grow our regions?
Overview
Big picture• USA Regions• Los Angeles• Washington, DC• Rustbelt / Ohio / Great Lakes• Puget Sound
• Other Regions• Nepal• Saudi Arabia• Slovakia
Close-up• Frameworks
1) Brookings2) Startup America3) Startup Weekend
• Exercise• Apply frameworks to GDL
• Conclusion
Outcome: New perspectives on
how to grow our regions
Newspapers like rankings. Ignore them
Don’t copy!
People don’t buy tech.
They buy solutions to their problems.
For what problems – local, national, or global – is your region uniquely positioned
to solve?
USA – Stereotypes and Legacies
• San Francisco – Tech• Los Angeles = Hollywood• Las Vegas = Gambling• Seattle = Aerospace / IT• Midwest = Farming• Texas = Oil• Great Lakes Region =
Manufacturing• DC = Government• NYC = Finance• Boston = Medicine
Find your regional strengths. Obvious and hidden.
Then imagine the future.
USA Overview
Los Angeles
Legacy / Strength: Entertainment
Embracing its legacy…
Juay?
Because it’s exciting for
entrepreneurs!
Good startup scene
LA Sub Industry: Music
LA Sub Industry: Video
• Production Technology• Multi-channel Networks• Streaming platforms• Other video tech
LA Sub Industry: Fashion
• Hautelook • Daily Candy • Nasty Girl
• 100s of boutique brands, startups, and e-Commerce services
Washington, DC
Legacy / Strength: The U.S. Government
Escaping our legacy…
…because it’s kind of boring
Juay?
1) Government contracting
2) Defense
Is that all?
NO!
Growing startup scene
DC Sub Industry: Big Data
DC Sub Industry: Hospitality
DC Sub Industry: Geospatial / Maps
• 1000s of Geospatial analysts, engineers working for big organizations
• Very few startups. No GPS entrepreneurs!
Ohio River Valley - Manufacturing
Ohio area -- old
Ohio area – new == 3d printing
Puget Sound Region – IT, Cleantech
Strong region, what’s next?
Oportunidad
Focus
• Global expertise in “Energy Efficiency• 23,000 local jobs in
Cleantech. 40% in “Energy efficiency”• Retrofitting, green buildings,
LEED • Fast growing sector
Otras partes del Mundo
Pokhora, Nepal
Embracing Tourism
• 100s of tourism shops, offices, and companies that don’t talk to each other• Decentralized, no
organization• Lots of potential
NEXT STEP?• Startup Weekend Vertical
planned in June. • Tourism + Tech• Make an impact
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Escaping Legacy Looking for opportunity
Slovakia
Embracing strength: Automobiles
What makes an ecosystem?
The Brookings Perspective
• Government planning: state, local, and federal governments
• A business plan for governments• Economic vision and goals• Market analysis• Strategies• Products & services• Key participants• Financials
The Brookings Perspective
Human Capital
Innovation, Entrepreneurs
Effective Government
Transport Infrastructure
Informational Resources
Business clusters
The StartupAmerica Perspective
“We are all responsible for making our community better."
• Execute.• Experiment!• Celebrate failure• Think short term (90-120 days) and long-term (10, 15, 20 years)• 4 Quadrants: • Team, Execution, Vibrancy, Celebration
What defines a Startup Ecosystem?
• Startups• Talent• Investors• Mentors• Partners• Service Providers
Engage the entire ecosystem
Startup Meetups
Government
Community Orgs
Startups
Big companies
Higher Education
Startup Resources
Capital Resources
The Startup Weekend Perspective
1) Inspire yourself or others to take a risk
2) Discover: Explore ideas, market discovery
3) Founder: Focus. Big step. Little to no money. Customer validation.
4) Startup: small team, seed funding, iteration.
5) Scale: rapid growth, execution
6) Champion: Ecosystem leader. Icon. Creates investors.
Ciclo de vida del emprendedor
EXERCISE!!! 1) Divide in groups2) Each group gets one
“framework”3) Apply your framework to
Guadalajara or another region
4) Identify areas of strength, weakness, and ideas for improving the region
5) 10 minutes, then each team presents
How to leverage?
Traditional, NEXT, Corporate Verticals
• Mobile• eGov• 3D printing• Health• Art / film• Education• Food• …
Hackathon.io(Often industry specific)
Recap
• The world is shrinking• Regions are focusing• Regional strengths• Embrace? Escape?• Unpack
• Building your ecosystem• Many perspectives!• None are perfect• Apply them all
• Get others involved• Be a bridge• Events are great• Expos• Intrapreneurs