In my job quest, I began checking into Adzerk since I’ve got connections there. On Adzerk’s blog, Andy Schrader bemoans the (perceived) lack of pizazz that Raleigh offers startups:
Problem is that we’re barely considering a move to Raleigh because of its perceived lack of culture (we’re not a law firm or a government office).
Raleigh has made great strives to rejuvenate Fayetteville street and bring businesses back downtown but why no attention to startups?
Here’s your proof that Raleigh’s “stodgy” reputation is driving away promising startup companies.
Adzerk founder James Avery insists that startup incubators are essential to building a city’s tech scene. Durham is losing one of its incubators and, reading between the lines, one can see that this could be Raleigh’s opportunity.
All of the cities I mentioned above have one thing in common – a solid accelerator that draws in talent and becomes a focal point of the community. Boulder, New York, Boston, and Seattle all have TechStars. Silicon Valley has Y Combinator (among others).
There are accelerators popping up in cities all over America and if Durham and Raleigh want to stand a chance they need to replace Launchbox with a new accelerator.
We can’t pick up where we left off – but the only way to get that flywheel moving again is to build a new accelerator in Durham or Raleigh.
Having worked for some of the startups Avery mentions (and a few he did not), I know successful startups can thrive in Raleigh. Few startups today follow these old paths to success, though. Nowadays many cities areactively nurturing startups with incubators and those cities that don’t are quickly becoming irrelevant. Raleigh’s had enough experience now and seen what other areas are doing that it should be clear that we as a city need to step up our game.
Many of the pieces are already in place. Raleigh has a vibrant downtown again, there is plenty of inexpensive office space (including cool warehouses), plenty of nearby housing, Red Hat as a future downtown tenant. If Raleigh plays its cards right in five years this city could be the geek capital of the Southeast.
Now the question is . . . is stodgy old Raleigh brave enough to try it?