$1.6B in funding and $7B in exits: Chicago tech just had its best year ever
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Re: $1.6B in funding and $7B in exits: Chicago tech just had its best year ever
#2If I weren't a risk averse, cowardly lawyer and was planning on starting my own business, I'd go to Chicago.
It's a world class city with tons of programmers and engineer. But it's also much cheaper to live in.
Re: $1.6B in funding and $7B in exits: Chicago tech just had its best year ever
#3Chicago's a great city, and I've spent a lot of time there. But....
- It's cold.
- The academic environment itself is better in general business. Two top MBA programs, but the best engineering school is far down state.
- It has winter.
- The ecosystem supports growth, but not hypergrowth. Companies like BaseCRM do well starting there, but move to Silicon Valley when it's time to explode.
- Snow without mountains
- Not as socially, ethnically or culturally diverse as many other tech hubs.
- Did I mention that it's cold?
All that said, I love to visit in the summer.
Re: $1.6B in funding and $7B in exits: Chicago tech just had its best year ever
#4Chicago's a great city, and I've spent a lot of time there. But.... - It's cold. - The academic environment itself is better in general business. Two top MBA programs, but the best engineering school is far down state. - It has winter. - The ecosystem supports growth, but not hypergrowth. Companies like BaseCRM do well starting there, but move to Silicon Valley when it's time to explode. - Snow without mountains - No…
> The ecosystem supports growth, but not hypergrowth. Companies like BaseCRM do well starting there, but move to Silicon Valley when it's time to explode.
You could probably rewrite that as "not Silicon Valley". Or is there some other location you have in mind that could also support "hypergrowth"?
Re: $1.6B in funding and $7B in exits: Chicago tech just had its best year ever
#5Chicago's a great city, and I've spent a lot of time there. But.... - It's cold. - The academic environment itself is better in general business. Two top MBA programs, but the best engineering school is far down state. - It has winter. - The ecosystem supports growth, but not hypergrowth. Companies like BaseCRM do well starting there, but move to Silicon Valley when it's time to explode. - Snow without mountains - No…
You forgot to mention how the January wind sucks all the breath out of your lungs.
Re: $1.6B in funding and $7B in exits: Chicago tech just had its best year ever
#6Chicago's a great city, and I've spent a lot of time there. But.... - It's cold. - The academic environment itself is better in general business. Two top MBA programs, but the best engineering school is far down state. - It has winter. - The ecosystem supports growth, but not hypergrowth. Companies like BaseCRM do well starting there, but move to Silicon Valley when it's time to explode. - Snow without mountains - No…
You forgot to mention how the January wind sucks all the breath out of your lungs.
Hey, summer in Chicago is a great month. :)
Re: $1.6B in funding and $7B in exits: Chicago tech just had its best year ever
#7Chicago's a great city, and I've spent a lot of time there. But.... - It's cold. - The academic environment itself is better in general business. Two top MBA programs, but the best engineering school is far down state. - It has winter. - The ecosystem supports growth, but not hypergrowth. Companies like BaseCRM do well starting there, but move to Silicon Valley when it's time to explode. - Snow without mountains - No…
"Not as socially, ethnically or culturally diverse as many other tech hubs." Chicago has world class museums, music venues, restaurants and ethnic enclaves like Ukrainian Village, Maxwell St., Devon, Pilsen.. and you mean to tell me there's more diversity up in the bay area? LOL
Re: $1.6B in funding and $7B in exits: Chicago tech just had its best year ever
#8Chicago's a great city, and I've spent a lot of time there. But.... - It's cold. - The academic environment itself is better in general business. Two top MBA programs, but the best engineering school is far down state. - It has winter. - The ecosystem supports growth, but not hypergrowth. Companies like BaseCRM do well starting there, but move to Silicon Valley when it's time to explode. - Snow without mountains - No…
"Not as socially, ethnically or culturally diverse as many other tech hubs." Chicago has world class museums, music venues, restaurants and ethnic enclaves like Ukrainian Village, Maxwell St., Devon, Pilsen.. and you mean to tell me there's more diversity up in the bay area? LOL
Your chances of seeing multi-ethnic couples, kids and neighborhoods is 10X in the Bay Area than Chicago. (And yes, I've lived in both)
Re: $1.6B in funding and $7B in exits: Chicago tech just had its best year ever
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Not as socially, ethnically or culturally diverse as many other tech hubs." Chicago has world class museums, music venues, restaurants and ethnic enclaves like Ukrainian Village, Maxwell St., Devon, Pilsen.. and you mean to tell me there's more diversity up in the bay area? LOL
Your chances of seeing multi-ethnic couples, kids and neighborhoods is 10X in the Bay Area than Chicago. (And yes, I've lived in both)
I'd be very curious to see actual statistics around that. This is a belief that is highly subject to selection bias.
I myself don't like the Bay Area for my own perception of the lack of diversity there, but again I would not be surprised if that is my bias showing through.
(and for instance I live in a neighborhood that has a history of multi-ethnic families that goes back to before that was socially acceptable nearly anywhere else in America)
Re: $1.6B in funding and $7B in exits: Chicago tech just had its best year ever
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Not as socially, ethnically or culturally diverse as many other tech hubs." Chicago has world class museums, music venues, restaurants and ethnic enclaves like Ukrainian Village, Maxwell St., Devon, Pilsen.. and you mean to tell me there's more diversity up in the bay area? LOL
Your chances of seeing multi-ethnic couples, kids and neighborhoods is 10X in the Bay Area than Chicago. (And yes, I've lived in both)
What on earth does interracial marriage have to do with software companies? Do we need to fly planes full of singles between Hyderabad and Changdu to jumpstart startups in Asia?