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Detroit Startup List

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Re: Detroit Startup List

#31

Post by bmelton »

davidw wrote: post #26
kj1210 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Silicon Valley encompasses many cities in a "region". Here in Detroit, we don't have a name (yet?) to describe the region so we use Detroit to encompass the whole area. Ann Arbor falls within that area. It's roughly a 45 minute drive from Ann Arbor to Detroit...or 35 minutes for me ;) The Detroit "region" or sometimes known as "Detroit Urban Area" or "Metro Detroit", is actually quite large and has many beautiful com…

> we don't have a name (yet?) to describe the region At the risk of being a bit facile, "an armpit" is what I get when reading about it. No mountains, humid summers, frigid winters, decline and decay in abundance. It's about the last place in the US I'd want to live, I think. More than a few startups, I'm afraid the whole area needs to work a bit on its 'brand'. How many people from younger generations pretty much im…

The last place for you might be the first place for someone else.

DC has humid summers, frigid winters, insane traffic, crime and prostitution, and a host of other things that are wrong with it... but it's still a place that many people want to go. There are national monuments, museums, cultural diversity, great food, great music, and it is the political center of the nation (world?).

I can't speak for Detroit, as I haven't been there, but that's also why I'm not discounting it.

I've found in my life that discounting things superficially has kept me from enjoying life as much as I could have. When I make it an effort to be more open-minded, I find it usually pays off.

All that aside, how in the world is "San Fran" outdated? What are its more modern counterparts?

Re: Detroit Startup List

#32

Post by BallinBige »

joem32 wrote: post #29

Since everyone is an expert on Detroit, I guess we might just as well put a fence up around the place, turn off the lights, and stick a fork in it. In reality, Detroit (proper) has lots of work to be done, there is no denying it. There are lots of rough neighborhoods, and places that need hard work. And yes, there are areas that you just dont travel at night, but thats a reality common with MANY big cities like Bosto…

Well said - I think all of these startups have clients, customers, investors, mentors "in Detroit" as well.

Re: Detroit Startup List

#33

Post by canadiancreed »

mbreese wrote: post #24
pyre wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe people should start condensing the 'Metro Detroit Area' as the MDA (or something like that) similar to the way the 'Greater Toronto Area' is labeled the GTA.

I don't know how many people outside of Toronto (or Canada) know what GTA means. (I know that I didn't). Abbreviations that make sense locally rarely resonate globally.

As someone that grew up a few hours from Toronto, I'd be confident in saying that the GTA is in the common vernacular for most folks in Southern Ontario. I agree that those outside of that area (in Canada at least) wouldn't, since from outside it looks like it's all Toronto.

Re: Detroit Startup List

#34

Post by davidw »

bmelton wrote: post #31
davidw wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> we don't have a name (yet?) to describe the region At the risk of being a bit facile, "an armpit" is what I get when reading about it. No mountains, humid summers, frigid winters, decline and decay in abundance. It's about the last place in the US I'd want to live, I think. More than a few startups, I'm afraid the whole area needs to work a bit on its 'brand'. How many people from younger generations pretty much im…

The last place for you might be the first place for someone else. DC has humid summers, frigid winters, insane traffic, crime and prostitution, and a host of other things that are wrong with it... but it's still a place that many people want to go. There are national monuments, museums, cultural diversity, great food, great music, and it is the political center of the nation (world?). I can't speak for Detroit, as I…

I'm not being superficial, I'm talking about things that count for me. It sounds like a dreadful place, given what I enjoy in terms of climate/geography. You're correct that I would not enjoy DC's climate much either, but being the capitol gives it certain privileges that Detroit does not enjoy in terms of a destination and place to do certain kinds of business.

And I don't think you can dispute the fact that Detroit's "brand" is quite tarnished, no matter how much you click the down arrow.

> All that aside, how in the world is "San Fran" outdated? What are its more modern counterparts?

It makes you sound like someone from far, far out of town. People there call it "the city", which is sort of egotistical in its own way. I would just say "San Francisco".

Re: Detroit Startup List

#35

Post by jordanskole »

davidw wrote: post #26
kj1210 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Silicon Valley encompasses many cities in a "region". Here in Detroit, we don't have a name (yet?) to describe the region so we use Detroit to encompass the whole area. Ann Arbor falls within that area. It's roughly a 45 minute drive from Ann Arbor to Detroit...or 35 minutes for me ;) The Detroit "region" or sometimes known as "Detroit Urban Area" or "Metro Detroit", is actually quite large and has many beautiful com…

> we don't have a name (yet?) to describe the region At the risk of being a bit facile, "an armpit" is what I get when reading about it. No mountains, humid summers, frigid winters, decline and decay in abundance. It's about the last place in the US I'd want to live, I think. More than a few startups, I'm afraid the whole area needs to work a bit on its 'brand'. How many people from younger generations pretty much im…

Hows this for a brand. We are hard working and dedicated and if you cant hack the flat mountainless humid summers and frigid winters, you can sit your sissy ass somewhere else. What we do have is a greasy, leather-palmed commitment to revitalization and a group of people you would be crazy to call 'soft.' architecturally we are a powerhouse. You see decay and and decline in abundance we see the freedom of a city that has hit a bottom and is willing to support anything to climb back up to the top. We have a lot of people with your attitude living here currently, and I offer them all $100 subsidy for their moving vans.

You are certainly right about the space though. Think about having an internet startup that sells its G&S anywhere in the world, why spend $1800 on an apartment elsewhere when you can spend half that and live in a creative urban area, and spend the other half on travel, or your startup.

Lastly, and the most important thing we have going for us, is momentum. We get a fair amount of comments like this, but we used to get a fair amount more. This place is nothing like it was 2 years ago and has changed even more drastically over the past 5 years.

[sarcasm]if you want to strike tech gold and buy $1000 sunglasses and flirt with plastic blondes and surf duuuude then head out west,[/sarcasm] but if you want agency - if you want to affect change, and be part of a movement, if you want to influence a renaissance then send me a message and I will be more than happy to subsidize your plane ticket here to help me count cranes.

Re: Detroit Startup List

#36

Post by jordanskole »

pyre wrote: post #22
chaselee wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As one of the founders from the Ann Arbor area, I can say this list is more of a Southeast Michigan list, an area for which Detroit is often synonymous. Due to their relative proximity, there hasn't been a reason yet to push one city to be a center over the other, it's more so about the region as a whole, which is very well linked together.

Maybe people should start condensing the 'Metro Detroit Area' as the MDA (or something like that) similar to the way the 'Greater Toronto Area' is labeled the GTA.

For people here inside the region this is actually common to say Metro area or SE MI it is just difficult for people outside or who have never been. They just say Detroit. In fact, when I am away on travel, I will tell people I am originally from Lansing and they simply say "so Detroit?" and I def wouldnt consider Lansing part of the MDA

Re: Detroit Startup List

#38

Post by jarek »

bmelton wrote: post #31
davidw wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> we don't have a name (yet?) to describe the region At the risk of being a bit facile, "an armpit" is what I get when reading about it. No mountains, humid summers, frigid winters, decline and decay in abundance. It's about the last place in the US I'd want to live, I think. More than a few startups, I'm afraid the whole area needs to work a bit on its 'brand'. How many people from younger generations pretty much im…

The last place for you might be the first place for someone else. DC has humid summers, frigid winters, insane traffic, crime and prostitution, and a host of other things that are wrong with it... but it's still a place that many people want to go. There are national monuments, museums, cultural diversity, great food, great music, and it is the political center of the nation (world?). I can't speak for Detroit, as I…

"San Fran" is what people who aren't from San Francisco call San Francisco.

Re: Detroit Startup List

#39

Post by ironchef »

pyre wrote: post #21
kj1210 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Silicon Valley encompasses many cities in a "region". Here in Detroit, we don't have a name (yet?) to describe the region so we use Detroit to encompass the whole area. Ann Arbor falls within that area. It's roughly a 45 minute drive from Ann Arbor to Detroit...or 35 minutes for me ;) The Detroit "region" or sometimes known as "Detroit Urban Area" or "Metro Detroit", is actually quite large and has many beautiful com…

> It's roughly a 45 minute drive from Ann Arbor to > Detroit...or 35 minutes for me ;) But: 1. It's in a different county. 2. You're not really accounting for traffic, though my experiences were during the early 00's. 3. Ann Arbor was a completely different vibe than Detroit, or even a number of the suburbs. 4. Ann Arbor really isn't a suburb of Detroit. If you drive from Detroit to Ann Arbor, the suburbs give way to…

SF and the valley (or san jose as well) are often used interchangeably, yet: 1. They're in different counties (heck..the valley is even spread over multiple counties). 2. San Jose to SF is often over an hour (with traffic) 3. SF, Valley, San jose have very different vibes 4. Is Palo Alto (for example) a suburb of Fan Francisco or of San Jose?

What I'm trying to show is that it's typically called the "detroit area" for simplicity's sake. Just like "the valley" or "sf area" is often used to encompass SF to San Jose (and the east bay as well). It's more of a moniker for the region.

Re: Detroit Startup List

#40

Post by vnchr »

davidw wrote: post #34
bmelton wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The last place for you might be the first place for someone else. DC has humid summers, frigid winters, insane traffic, crime and prostitution, and a host of other things that are wrong with it... but it's still a place that many people want to go. There are national monuments, museums, cultural diversity, great food, great music, and it is the political center of the nation (world?). I can't speak for Detroit, as I…

I'm not being superficial, I'm talking about things that count for me . It sounds like a dreadful place, given what I enjoy in terms of climate/geography. You're correct that I would not enjoy DC's climate much either, but being the capitol gives it certain privileges that Detroit does not enjoy in terms of a destination and place to do certain kinds of business. And I don't think you can dispute the fact that Detroi…

You think the rest of the world should call your city, "the city"?? I love the Bay Area, but that's just short-sighted and arrogant.
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