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Techstars to open up shop in Detroit

crainsdetroit.com

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Re: Techstars to open up shop in Detroit

#2
As a Detroiter hopefully this will give me a reason to start going downtown.

The current problem with the Detroit Metro area is when ever outside money comes in. Most the time the offices open in the northern/western suburbs.

I say this because most high paying jobs are in the suburbs. Because that's where the businesses are. The suburbs are doing well. At first I was very excited and hoped they'd open relatively close, but all things consider that wouldn't help the city as much.

Re: Techstars to open up shop in Detroit

#3
While this is great news, I think YC-Detroit would have been even better ;-)

There is a lot of talent here. As evidence, here's the First Robotics Competition team map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zIJNq656OeBY.ke6fB8...

Our teams also have a long history of winning ;-)

Re: Techstars to open up shop in Detroit

#7

I wish there was something like this here in DC. Very little startup scene. All I get to see are those sweettalk recruitment shops and those three lettered agencies that I couldn't imagine working for. Good news for you Detroit!

I don't recall that being the case - there are plenty of small companies in the area. The one problem all of them face though is funding is difficult to obtain there, but I have found that higher quality companies emerge as a result.

Re: Techstars to open up shop in Detroit

#9
Great news & I have more hope for the community.

However, many people outside of the startup scene have misconceptions, as they see survivor bias/success bias in the reporting. One item in the report feeds this misconception: "The average company got $1.9 million in funding." The median raised would be far more revealing of the actual experience that a startup faces than the average.

Re: Techstars to open up shop in Detroit

#10

As a Detroiter hopefully this will give me a reason to start going downtown. The current problem with the Detroit Metro area is when ever outside money comes in. Most the time the offices open in the northern/western suburbs. I say this because most high paying jobs are in the suburbs. Because that's where the businesses are. The suburbs are doing well. At first I was very excited and hoped they'd open relatively clo…

up voted you and I agree. I grew up in what is referred to as the "Down River" area; the suburbs south of Detroit and I now live ~10-15 miles north of Detroit. After living here some 30+ years I'm ready to pack it up. Until Detroit can get rid of it's crime and the stigma that seems to linger, I have a hard time imagining anyone wanting to spend any time near the city after dark.

I own my own company and I have clients in the city; the Comerica building just to name one. If we are on a project that puts any of us down there after 5pm, we'er in pairs.

I'm originally from New York; parents moved to Detroit area when I was kid. I remember growing up listening to family constantly being concerned for our safety and when I got married about 10 years ago, I had a hard time convincing my NY relatives that Livonia was safe to visit. (Livonia is North & East of Detroit).

My mom worked in Detroit (McNamara building). She would take the bus into the city. If she missed the bus ride home, my dad and I would have to drive down to pick her up. We would always get this nervous feeling coming off I-75 by the old Tiger Stadium. The McNamara building is a federal building so it had high security which I think gave my dad some comfort but still, Detroit's crime has always over shadowed the place for as long as I've been here.

We even have stupid comments big celeberties like Ted Nugent who say we're the murder captial not because we shoot more people but because we're better shooters.

I digress... I'm hopeful things will turn around but as a father now with kids, I'm always on the lookout to get out still. Including moving my company HQ.

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