Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Detroit Startup List

growdetroit.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 63 posts

Re: Detroit Startup List

#51

Post by joem32 »

rick888 wrote: post #44
joem32 wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

David, with due respect. You're sounding a bit hypocritical here. You make reference to Detroit as an "Armpit" when, in the same sentence you make reference to only "reading about it". Congratulations on becoming a sucker to the media stereotype. As for brand? We are working on it. Not through what is outwardly projected, but by focusing on building great companies with products and services that fulfill our clients…

"David, with due respect. You're sounding a bit hypocritical here. You make reference to Detroit as an "Armpit" when, in the same sentence you make reference to only "reading about it". Congratulations on becoming a sucker to the media stereotype." I lived 10 miles from Detroit for 20+ years. It's not a stereotype, it really is an armpit. Did you know that there are no grocery stores in the city? This is mostly becau…

rick888, I never said anything to the extent that Detroit is perfect, it's far from it (I think you'd agree with most of my original post, in fact- http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3120392). But, like any other time that Detroit is mentioned, everyone instantly becomes an expert.

In your case, I'd like to ask, where are you now and how long has it been since you've been to Detroit proper.

Re: Detroit Startup List

#52

Post by mulka »

bilbo0s wrote: post #23
rick888 wrote: post #2

This list is misleading. over half are from the Ann Arbor area and a few are in California (and other states) with a few remote offices in Ann Arbor. They really should be pushing for Ann Arbor to be a tech center, not Detroit.

Easy solution... Perhaps the founders from Ann Arbor could simply have their names removed from the list of startups grown in Detroit. They could find another method for myself, or anyone else on HN who is not from SE Michigan to discover information about them. A list of startups grown in Ann Arbor would be of equivalent interest to everyone here. Or anywhere else for that matter. Oh wait...

If you really want the list of Ann Arbor startups. It's here: http://a2geeks.org/display/geek/Companies

Re: Detroit Startup List

#53

Post by joem32 »

rick888 wrote: post #49
zbuc wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Did you know that there are no grocery stores in the city? Did you know that's not true, at all? There are quite a few grocery stores in Detroit. It's not a "food desert" like the media would tell you. Stop believing lies and anecdotal evidence and your failed assumptions from living far away from the city itself. Did you know that downtown Detroit proper has a lower crime rate than basically every other major city…

There are no main chain grocery stores (like Meijer) in Detroit proper. So I guess there are some grocery stores, but not quality ones. "Stop believing lies and anecdotal evidence and your failed assumptions from living far away from the city itself." These aren't assumptions. By continuing to deny the problems with Detroit, it will never get better. This is exactly what has been happening for years. The population c…

Rick, I'm in Detroit regularly, and the worst thing that's ever happened is a homeless person asked me for my change.

You are right that a mile, let alone a few blocks out can be sketchy in spots... but if you've got half a brain, you dont go there. In recognition of some awesome clean up efforts, parts of the Cass Corridor, which used to be the nearest thing to No-Man's land is cleaned up, and awesome. In fact, I spent a day down there with friends and family over the summer.

As for doing business in downtown, it's honestly been a joy for me. I look forward to going to Detroit. The city has awesome character and I'd like to be a part of the resurgence. Is it going to happen overnight, NO. Are efforts in place to make it an exemplar city, you bet. I'll close by saying Rome wasn't (re)built in a day.

Re: Detroit Startup List

#54

Post by bmelton »

jarek wrote: post #41
vnchr wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

The rest of the world can call it "San Francisco." If you're looking for a short form, SF ("ess eff") is acceptable.

I think I'll stick with San Fran. If you guys want to be snobby about it, you're more than welcome to.

Re: Detroit Startup List

#56

Post by jarek »

bmelton wrote: post #54
jarek wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The rest of the world can call it "San Francisco." If you're looking for a short form, SF ("ess eff") is acceptable.

I think I'll stick with San Fran. If you guys want to be snobby about it, you're more than welcome to.

Out of curiosity, do you also call California "Cali"?

Re: Detroit Startup List

#57

Post by philwelch »

joem32 wrote: post #48
philwelch wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cities have risen and fallen before. Part of the creative destruction of the last few decades involved wealth and power disappearing from Detroit and growing in Silicon Valley. I understand for Detroiters the sentimental value of Detroit, but there's no need for economic activity to happen in Detroit or in any other particular place so long as it happens and happens productively. In fact, it may be against this count…

This has got to be the most ignorant response of the day. One, have you ever been to Detroit. And two, have you ever heard of this thing called capitalism? Last I checked, as natural born Americans, we've got the right to do what we want, where we want to do it. Please, do take a moment to explain to me how it would be in anyone's best interest to just "let" Detroit die? (Assuming it was actually near death) Also, he…

"And two, have you ever heard of this thing called capitalism? Last I checked, as natural born Americans, we've got the right to do what we want, where we want to do it."

I'm all for that. It's too bad Detroit needed the government to bail out and nationalize two of its biggest employers--I assume you're as opposed to that as I am, being such a capitalist and all.

As long as you're willing to let the market do as it will I really don't have any disagreement with you. Unfortunately, most of this "rebuilding Detroit", starting with saving GM and Chrysler, has the heavy hand of government involved. And as a citizen and taxpayer, I have every right to say the federal government shouldn't go out of its way to save Detroit. The country can do fine without it. In fact, for what it's worth the country seems to be manufacturing as many cars as ever, and creating lots of jobs. It's no skin off my back that the jobs are in southern right-to-work states, or that the cars are Toyotas, Hondas and Fords rather than GM's and Chryslers. (Or rather, it shouldn't matter, except our tax money was used to nationalize GM and Chrysler.)

Thriving and successful cities don't have population drops similar to those caused by hurricanes: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/us/23detroit.html

Re: Detroit Startup List

#58

Post by davidw »

jordanskole wrote: post #35
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…

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…

If you want "manly weather", I think Alaska or Montana have more going for them, along with pretty much all of the West with or without good weather. Growing up in Oregon though, at a certain point I realized I could either spend my life being 'tough' about the weather, or actually enjoying it someplace where it doesn't suck. Making fun of Californians for being "sissies", as you put it, about the rain only goes so far in lessening it's disagreeableness.

It sounds like you're doing good work, which is admirable, but it seems as if you're fighting two battles - one to make your startup work, and one to make the place work. Fighting on two fronts is rarely a good idea.

Re: Detroit Startup List

#59

Post by bmelton »

jarek wrote: post #56
bmelton wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think I'll stick with San Fran. If you guys want to be snobby about it, you're more than welcome to.

Out of curiosity, do you also call California "Cali"?

Personally, no. But I'm also not the hipster sort that turns my nose up at people who use terms generally accepted to be in the common vernacular either, or worrying about how "last week" something is.

That's just me though.

Re: Detroit Startup List

#60

Post by growdetroit »

nbashaw wrote: post #16
rick888 wrote: post #2

This list is misleading. over half are from the Ann Arbor area and a few are in California (and other states) with a few remote offices in Ann Arbor. They really should be pushing for Ann Arbor to be a tech center, not Detroit.

I don't think it's misleading at all. Here's a direct quote from the page: "While we focus on the Metro Detroit area, we do include entries from throughout the entire state of Michigan. For us it’s about the cause, not about drawing lines in the sand."

Glad at least one person reads the page in it's entirety ;) But I'm also glad the thread could fuel some healthy debate.
Post reply on HN