Raleigh is building a startup environment. Software company CEO Josh Whiton gets it:
But the talent is too spread out around the city, says Josh Whiton, the 31-year-old CEO of TransLoc, a software company next to downtown’s Moore Square that makes web sites and apps for mass transit systems.
“We’ve got a lot of good companies, but they’re miles apart from each other,” Whiton said. “There’s not the serendipitous running into each other when you go to the coffee shop.”
“Durham has that concentration. That’s what Raleigh needs.”
It’s not a stretch to say I’ve worked for more startup companies than just about anyone. And Whiton is right on the money. This is what Raleigh needs to focus on with its entrepreneurial efforts: creating a startup scene. It’s all about those serendipitous meetings. Foster that feeling and success will follow.
What it takes to accomplish this is essentially what it takes to make any kind of development take place in the city: it all starts with staking a flag someplace, so to speak. Find a part of town that offers the “raw materials” that might make for interesting work places. Look for a place with “good bones,” as the real estate industry calls it. Then designate this place as the startup area and sell it with PR. It helps to attract an “anchor tenant,” which for Raleigh might be Red Hat.
Then wait. And wait. Then wait some more. And commit to nurture it with whatever it needs. Listen to the companies there to see what it might need. Look around for any good ideas being implemented in other places.
Like Whiton said, there are plenty of successful startups born here in Raleigh. We’ve got a great foundation. Now we just need to focus this activity in one area and help it grow!
via Raleigh wants a startup spark – Local/State – NewsObserver.com.