There's been much ado about the NYC tech scene lately -- how it's heating up and it's increasing allure for startups. Having recently moved from San Francisco to New York in the midst of this debate, I can't help chiming in myself. I was leading community at Klout in SF and in February started LiftFive, partnered with NYC's Lerer Ventures to help early startups build community.
1. New York brings varying industry perspectives. In NYC, I'm much more likely to encounter founders bringing very different perspectives to their tech startup. They have a background in banking, fashion, commerce, media or any number of the multitude of booming industries in New York. When I was in San Francisco, inevitably, the technology itself became the focus of the conversation with the coolest tech reigning supreme.
2. Engineers are the closest thing to rockstars in San Francisco. I'll admit, I never got invited to a party with tigers or monkeys, but the party culture around engineering in SF is definitely there. Startups will do anything to keep the best engineers, which sparks shots mid-afternoon, keg parties as well as video games in office. If this seems more targeted towards "bros," you would be partially right, except for the fact that most SF startup girls are as likely to join said shots and video games as any of the guys.
3. Networking is more purposeful in NYC. Startup events in San Francisco are fairly chill. They are said keggers or fancier affairs, but people mingle, chill out and are much less likely to view it as a way to spew their business cards. Here in NYC, I've noticed people are much more purposeful about their networking. They go to an event specifically to meet X-type of person and will cut to the chase to do so. I think this is partially born out of the fact that SF is simply a smaller community. If you informally mingle you will meet people you cross paths with many more times and probably end up working with.
4. Revenue comes up more often in NYC. I'll grant this may simply be more about the changing times, but I find it's much more likely that revenue questions on startups are brought up in NYC compared to SF. In San Francisco, the user numbers were more frequently used (although those are certainly brought up here, as well). This reminds of a great bar joke from Quora: "A million guys walk in to a Silicon Valley bar. None of them buy anything. The bar is declared a rousing success."
5. In SF, everyone you meet is in a startup. It's amazing how much this affects you. When you're out at a bar, getting coffee or out for a walk, you will meet people and overhear conversations about startups (unless they're tourists). It's simply an overwhelming field in SF and pretty inescapable. I love startups, so it was an amazing part of SF, but I think it can also lead to a feeling of being in a bubble and losing perspective about the outside world. NYC has been much more balanced for me, even in spite of the fact that I'm located smack in startup central in Lerer Ventures in Soho.
On the whole, I couldn't say which of these startups scenes is "better," but I've been enjoying the transition to NYC myself. New York City is rarely the underdog in any situation, yet in tech it is. Therefore the degree of pride and desire to prove that real startups are being built in NYC is a pleasure to see.
Do you think one of these hubs is better for startups than another? I'd love to hear about the differences you've found!
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Nice perspective and an insightful piece.
Lots of other places to build and start new ventures.
Much better living costs and quality of living.
2) Engineers are given their respect in Silicon Valley. Other places, especially finance oriented ecosystems, engineers are usually considered as tools. The attitude is such that when one has an idea (like the wall colour of their bedroom), one finds an engineer (painter) to implement that idea. In Silicon Valley engineers and scientist are the innovators and they hire MBAs to run the marketing for their companies.
3) In Silicon Valley, if one encounters a problem in the design/implementation of their idea or needs a product for their innovation. There is another company in the 20-mile radius that provides the solution. Networking does not get more goal oriented than this.
4) VCs in Silicon valley are experienced in the life-cycle of Start-ups. In other areas, investors are stressed out about the risks involved. In Silicon valley the belief is that as long as the company attracts attention there will be an opportunity for revenue generation. This is a priceless boon to entrepreneurs.
5) There are a lot of successful start-ups in Silicon Valley and this get others encouraged to duplicate the result. This is a good thing. Since many people are on the same page entrepreneurship gets smoother.
If you research the top 10-20 jobs in NY you'll find innovation in Law, Engineering, Education, Healthcare.
Its deliberately these type of jobs and people in this industry, that are asking How does Tech affect me?
I think tech manifests itself in everything today, and being in a different industry doesn't impeded your chances at tech, it aides them. You're bringing your experience over to a startup, and asking how you can improve your industry, with the ability of technological innovation.
To paraphrase some technology ads of the past "I'm a PC" etc..
I'm a teacher, or engineer or legal professional, and i'm using my expertise gained in my industry to innovate in Tech.
2. Engineers are given their respect in San Francisco: Anywhere else, especially finance oriented places, engineers are considered as tools. The attitude is that when one have an idea (just like the wall colour of their bedroom), they need to go and find an engineer (painter) to implement that idea. In Silicon Valley engineers and scientist are the innovators and they hire MBAs to run the marketing for their companies.
3. Networking happens in Silicon Valley: Here, any problem that you encounter in your design/execution or any product that you need for your innovation, there is another company in your 20 mile radius that provides the solution. Networking does not get more goal oriented than this.
4. VCs are experienced in the life-cycles of start-ups in Silicon Valley: In other areas, the investors are stressed out about the risks involved. Silicon Valley is relatively relaxed in that respect. As long as the company attracts attention there will probably be a revenue generation down the road. This is a priceless boon for entrepreneurs.
5. In SF, everyone you meet is in a startup: This is because there are a lot of start-ups succeeding and others get encouraged to duplicate the success. Since more or less everybody on the same page, the entrepreneurship gets smoother.
NYC does sound pretty cool from what you describe, but I am way too invested here to ever make the move now.
Your comment about user numbers was hilarious and so true! Coming from my background (MA in econ, stats....) I was not too pleased at times with the lack of focus on revenue and fundamentals. On the other hand, I love the dreamers because when they hit, they HIT!
However, if you’re comparing New York and San Francisco Tech Scenes, you should be more specific about technology aspect. I mean, it would be very interesting to compare some tools, machines or different techniques, which companies use in their technology base.
Obviously, every company chooses its own style and systems, which are determined by crafts, instruments or methods of organization, which are, finally, determined by product and customer. Though, there are some similarities or trends in development (or research for markets) in San Francisco, and in NYC as well. Therefore, it would be really interesting to collect and to compare them.
So far, we have:
- variety of industry perspectives in NYC
- party culture, video games in office in SF
- networking
- revenue questions
- overwhelming conversations about startups in SF (which somehow makes NYC more balanced for you).
I don’t think that half of these points are connected to Tech Scenes… They are more general hubs. Talking about technology platform, like performing a specific function, improving a solution, resolving a problem or choosing a right technique, I believe, there are no differences in this field.