Why Startups Should Choose Canada Over Silicon Valley • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Startups Should Choose Canada Over Silicon Valley

#101

Post by dougrenert » Tue, Apr 09, 2013, 3:06 PM UTC

Not sure if this has been picked up anywhere else in the comments, but I find the Canadian university coop system prepares students there to be entrepreneurs better than anything I've seen in a U.S. university. This requires them to work in an actual JOB. As mentioned, Waterloo grads tend to be stellar, and our best intern to date came out of UBC in a coop (thank you, David Q, for placing him with us!).

Why don't U.S. universities run coop programs? My school fought like hell to keep students on campus. I guess they viewed work as destroying the "art" of liberal arts...

Re: Why Startups Should Choose Canada Over Silicon Valley

#102

Post by busterarm » Tue, Apr 09, 2013, 3:27 PM UTC

untog wrote: post #66

busterarm wrote: post #30

It seems disingenuous for the OP to advocate Canada because of the US immigration policy when hiring non-Canadians to fill jobs usually requires a Labour Market Opinion proving that you couldn't find a Canadian to fill the job.

The US system requires the exact same thing.

Yeah, that's my point. OP criticized the US policy and presented the Canadian system as an alternative when it isn't.

In fact, the only benefit here seems to be for founders, but given the comments about the lack of angel/VC money in Canada, fulfilling the requirements looks to be difficult.

Re: Why Startups Should Choose Canada Over Silicon Valley

#103

Post by dquail » Tue, Apr 09, 2013, 4:48 PM UTC

gamechangr wrote: post #100

dquail wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I run an internship program placing Canadian interns in the valley, and have interviewed plenty of students from US schools. There's some amazing students coming out of Waterloo and UBC in particular. Waterloo grads are as competent and hungry as grads from MIT or Stanford. I've been amazed with them.

I don't buy that. MIT and Stanford are the undisputed best in the world. Waterloo would be closer to "University of Texas-Austin" which is still excellent.

I don't buy that MIT and Stanford are undisputed "best" either. But they're damn good. And definitely top tier ... my point is that Waterloo and UBC are in the same ball park as the top ones.

Re: Why Startups Should Choose Canada Over Silicon Valley

#104

Post by dquail » Tue, Apr 09, 2013, 4:52 PM UTC

j_mack wrote: post #94

Other than the Dragon's Den show that makes a mockery of early stage entrepreneurs, or "cockroaches" as one panelist likes to refer to them, Canada has failed miserably to participate in the tech scene. From a recent report by the Conference Board of Canada titled "Canada Fails to Put its Money Where its Ideas are—and it Shows in Poor Innovation Grade": "Ottawa, April 4, 2013—Canada ranks second-to-last among its pee…

The state of local VC is only one of many elements to measure startup prospects in a market. Given "the market" is becoming more global, I'd argue "local VC" is becoming moot

Re: Why Startups Should Choose Canada Over Silicon Valley

#105

Post by dquail » Tue, Apr 09, 2013, 4:58 PM UTC

dougrenert wrote: post #101

Not sure if this has been picked up anywhere else in the comments, but I find the Canadian university coop system prepares students there to be entrepreneurs better than anything I've seen in a U.S. university. This requires them to work in an actual JOB. As mentioned, Waterloo grads tend to be stellar, and our best intern to date came out of UBC in a coop (thank you, David Q, for placing him with us!). Why don't U.S…

Thx Doug. For context, Doug runs TandemEntrepreneurs.com - The valleys leading mobile incubator/investors - which was extremely successful in it's first fund. So this is high praise.

Re: Why Startups Should Choose Canada Over Silicon Valley

#106

Post by dquail » Tue, Apr 09, 2013, 5:00 PM UTC

thisisnotatest wrote: post #82

The author says he chose to start his company in Canada because, "In the Bay Area, investors, friends, and early adopters are so embracing and supportive of new ideas," and this can actually have bad consequences. It's an interesting notion. I have no startup experience, so maybe this is a dumb question, but isn't the solution just, "Take what investors, friends, and early adopters say with a grain of salt"?

Absolutely, that's fantastic solution, and what great entrepreneurs in the valley do. Unfortunately that's easier said than done ... especially given how pervasive the "buzz" can get.

Re: Why Startups Should Choose Canada Over Silicon Valley

#107

Post by dquail » Tue, Apr 09, 2013, 5:03 PM UTC

SilconValleyVC wrote: post #83

As a VC in Silicon Valley I have tremendous respect for the Valley, but I must say (having formerly lived in LA) it sometimes feels like a 1 industry town. In L.A. every and his brother "had a screenplay." "Oh man, can you read my screen play? We're looking to raise a million for this indie film." In Silicon Valley say you're a VC and my lord the way people change, from talking to you casually to looking at you like…

Absolutely agree (I wrote the post). It's amazed me (but not shocked me) to see so much of the commentary focus on the state (or lack thereof) of VC in Canada. VC can be a means to an end. But it certainly isn't the end ...

Re: Why Startups Should Choose Canada Over Silicon Valley

#108

Post by j_mack » Tue, Apr 09, 2013, 5:07 PM UTC

dquail wrote: post #104

j_mack wrote: post #94

Other than the Dragon's Den show that makes a mockery of early stage entrepreneurs, or "cockroaches" as one panelist likes to refer to them, Canada has failed miserably to participate in the tech scene. From a recent report by the Conference Board of Canada titled "Canada Fails to Put its Money Where its Ideas are—and it Shows in Poor Innovation Grade": "Ottawa, April 4, 2013—Canada ranks second-to-last among its pee…

The state of local VC is only one of many elements to measure startup prospects in a market. Given "the market" is becoming more global, I'd argue "local VC" is becoming moot

The inability to access vc in Cantada is moot, maybe if you're 16 and living with your parents.

I suppose Canadian bootstrappers could always mine for bitcoins... that's pretty modern, global too!

Re: Why Startups Should Choose Canada Over Silicon Valley

#109

Post by gamechangr » Tue, Apr 09, 2013, 5:34 PM UTC

dquail wrote: post #103

gamechangr wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't buy that. MIT and Stanford are the undisputed best in the world. Waterloo would be closer to "University of Texas-Austin" which is still excellent.

I don't buy that MIT and Stanford are undisputed "best" either. But they're damn good. And definitely top tier ... my point is that Waterloo and UBC are in the same ball park as the top ones.

My comment of "not buying it" was that there was no evidence (other than your opinion) to support your claim. Honestly, I would like to hear more about how you came to that conclusion.

I know the rankings are only one way to estimate (and would like to hear a better way :)

Is there a list that puts Waterloo or UBC better than Stanford or MIT? ANY LIST BY ANY MAGAZINE?

http://www.usnews.com/education/worlds-best-universities-ran...

University of Toronto (15th) UBC(27) Vs MIT (1) and Stanford (2)

Re: Why Startups Should Choose Canada Over Silicon Valley

#110

Post by edwinnathaniel » Tue, Apr 09, 2013, 7:07 PM UTC

gamechangr wrote: post #109

dquail wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't buy that MIT and Stanford are undisputed "best" either. But they're damn good. And definitely top tier ... my point is that Waterloo and UBC are in the same ball park as the top ones.

My comment of "not buying it" was that there was no evidence (other than your opinion) to support your claim. Honestly, I would like to hear more about how you came to that conclusion. I know the rankings are only one way to estimate (and would like to hear a better way :) Is there a list that puts Waterloo or UBC better than Stanford or MIT? ANY LIST BY ANY MAGAZINE? http://www.usnews.com/education/worlds-best-unive…