San Francisco Versus New York: BBC Explores The Technology Industries In Two Cities (VIDEO)

It's a battle as old as time. David Chang versus Alice Waters. Brooklyn Bridge versus Golden Gate. Bruce Wayne versus Gavin.

It's New York versus San Francisco, and now it looks like the tech community is tapping into the ring as well.

(SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO)

Part of BBC's series Living Online, "Tech War: New York Vs San Francisco" explores the growing tech industry in New York City, which is quickly catching up with San Francisco and Silicon Valley. The video highlights Paul Stamatiou, the San Francisco-based founder of picplum, and Joseph Cohen, the New York-based founder of Coursekit, as they debate the advantages of their respective technology hegemon.

"Everyone out here is in some form of technology," said Stamatiou about the Bay Area. "Startups are the norm. So many people actually want to help you -- everyone wants to pay it forward. They want to give you advice, give you funding, office space, whatever." Stamtiou points to the tech saturation of the Bay Area, calling it a breeding ground for startup success. "While New York has a vibrant tech community, it seems like it's just a part of New York. Whereas in Silicon Valley, technology is Silicon Valley."

But Cohen argues that the diversity of New York is exactly what fosters such an innovative startup community.

"You go to San Francisco and you're hanging out in the hip coffee shop -- everyone's talking about startups," said Cohen. "But that's not how you get inspiration, that's not how you come up creative ideas. The beauty of New York is that you have people in every area. You have people in fashion, you have people in education, and all the best of each of those classes." He argued. "You come up with businesses that work for the mainstream by being surrounded by people that aren't the same as you."

Clearly there's no definite answer (cough, cough...San Francisco...cough), but we're looking forward the the fight.

Watch BBC'S video Tech War: New York Vs San Francisco below, and leave your argument in the comments section:

Tech War: New York Vs San Francisco

Comments

[Gay Iberian]

04:03 PM on 12/14/2011

NYC is a money town. It started that way and will always be that way. S.F. is not NYC moves constantly, never stops, never sleeps, the energy is flowing constantly. S.F. is laid back and lazy. S.F. tech is Silicon Valley only. NYC tech is involved in all aspects of industry, from the stock market to the arts. S.F. once had magic and charisma and character, now it has nothing but escalating crime and homelessness and Christian yuppies. NYC is the capital city of the world, the metropolitan city that has spirit, pizzaz, charisma, inspiration.

[1peterd]

02:41 PM on 12/18/2011

Very good, but I would of pointed out that although SF likes to receive credit for the tech world of Silicon Valley.
Silicon Valley is the product of Santa Clara County and city’s like San Jose and Palo Alto. SF is not even in that county.

[trueorfalse]

01:09 PM on 12/14/2011

Both are sewer holes. I'm from Brooklyn. Been to SF several times. I'd love to see a couple of tsunamis and wash both away.

[vampbella09]

04:01 PM on 12/14/2011

Not funny.

[trueorfalse]

04:31 PM on 12/14/2011

Not meant to be funny.

[Stephanie McCracken]

11:24 AM on 12/15/2011

So stay in Brooklyn.

[trueorfalse]

01:25 PM on 12/15/2011

Already left and now reside here in Washington.

[Brokenduck]

11:10 PM on 12/13/2011

I lived in San Francisco for fourteen years and the Bronx for five. This article is a bit of a generalization about both places. SF? One is more likely to go to a coffee shop and hear conversations about the latest cyst-popping video on YouTube or pop culture BS than all this nonsense about start-ups. Well, I exaggerate a bit, but my point is that SF, in my opinion, is a place that has lost its soul in many ways. NY? I heard much the same about Silicon Alley ten years ago, and will probably read an article like this ten years in the future.

But now that I live in Fresno, I cannot possibly say enough that I miss both SF and NYC.

[scoobydubious]

11:40 PM on 12/13/2011

"cyst popping video"? I don't know where you were hanging out.
BTW, Silicon Valley is like 50 miles away from from SF.

[scoobydubious]

07:01 PM on 12/13/2011

sigh....New Yorkers...tut tut tut...
They just HAVE to believe that NY is the best at everything and nobody else could possibly be better.
That's a really tiresome trait.

Ironic that the New Yorker is dissing some hypothetical SF "hip coffee shop", and then we see him sitting in his local hip coffee shop.

[MBinNYC]

08:50 AM on 12/14/2011

Yeah it gets tiresome for us that folks from every other city try to compare themselves with NY. Be the best second tier city you can be and stop trying to compare to NY.

I was in Chicago a few years back, talking to some locals over a beer. When I said I was from NY, they asked what I thought of Chicago. At that moment I realized that a NY'er would never ask that question for two reasons 1) we know we're #1 and 2) we really don't care what you think.

[Gay Iberian]

04:10 PM on 12/14/2011

Bravo! I agree! I was raised in Brooklyn and, although was not born in NYC, I will always consider myself a New Yorker because NYC is #1, it is the capital city of the world. The only reason I don't live in NYC is because apts. are hard to find, it's very expensive and the extreme weathers drive me nuts. But I LOVE NYC!

[scoobydubious]

12:07 AM on 12/15/2011

Thanks for proving my point.

You actually THINK that everyone is jealous and comparing themselves to you.
That's called ignorance, and arrogance. Two very unattractive traits.

You're a cliche magazine cover. You know which one I'm talking about.

[Mtirrez]

02:18 PM on 12/13/2011

Give me a break. They don't talk about it in NYC because they likely dont need to. They are too busy taking OUR businesses over there. Agreed that it's probably a better setup, but I highly doubt they are even close to being on par with SF. I believe Arizona is closer that NYC in terms of tech biz.