How Big Is Chicago's Startup Scene? About SOMA-Sized, Actually
1–10 of 19 posts
Re: How Big Is Chicago's Startup Scene? About SOMA-Sized, Actually
#2Hmm.. I don't know that geographic size tells us anything important. Am I missing something here?
Re: How Big Is Chicago's Startup Scene? About SOMA-Sized, Actually
#3Hmm.. I don't know that geographic size tells us anything important. Am I missing something here?
I don't even think that was the point. I think the geographic comparison is more a novelty than anything, and I don't even think the author takes a viewpoint in writing his article. I clicked the link because I'm at an Excelerate Labs company now in Chicago, and I'm sure other Chicago Hacker News-ers will click on the link too, but I don't think there was really any point to the article. So un-succinctly put, I don't think you're missing anything.
Re: How Big Is Chicago's Startup Scene? About SOMA-Sized, Actually
#4Hmm.. I don't know that geographic size tells us anything important. Am I missing something here?
I don't even think that was the point. I think the geographic comparison is more a novelty than anything, and I don't even think the author takes a viewpoint in writing his article. I clicked the link because I'm at an Excelerate Labs company now in Chicago, and I'm sure other Chicago Hacker News-ers will click on the link too, but I don't think there was really any point to the article. So un-succinctly put, I don't…
Guilty -- saw Chicago in the headline, had to click.
Re: How Big Is Chicago's Startup Scene? About SOMA-Sized, Actually
#5Hmm.. I don't know that geographic size tells us anything important. Am I missing something here?
Yup, a little bit disappointed they didn't go any deeper than a simple geographic comparison w/ a photoshop overlay.
Re: How Big Is Chicago's Startup Scene? About SOMA-Sized, Actually
#6Starting a company in either of those geographic areas (Loop/River North or SOMA) is like shoveling cash into an incinerator.
Re: How Big Is Chicago's Startup Scene? About SOMA-Sized, Actually
#7Hmm.. I don't know that geographic size tells us anything important. Am I missing something here?
I don't even think that was the point. I think the geographic comparison is more a novelty than anything, and I don't even think the author takes a viewpoint in writing his article. I clicked the link because I'm at an Excelerate Labs company now in Chicago, and I'm sure other Chicago Hacker News-ers will click on the link too, but I don't think there was really any point to the article. So un-succinctly put, I don't…
Guilty -- truly wanted to know how Chicago measured up to SF even if it be geographically.
Re: How Big Is Chicago's Startup Scene? About SOMA-Sized, Actually
#8Hmm.. I don't know that geographic size tells us anything important. Am I missing something here?
I don't even think that was the point. I think the geographic comparison is more a novelty than anything, and I don't even think the author takes a viewpoint in writing his article. I clicked the link because I'm at an Excelerate Labs company now in Chicago, and I'm sure other Chicago Hacker News-ers will click on the link too, but I don't think there was really any point to the article. So un-succinctly put, I don't…
As a Chicago native currently staying with a friend in Mountain View, I keep refreshing the comment thread. Chicago HN community represent.
Re: How Big Is Chicago's Startup Scene? About SOMA-Sized, Actually
#9Starting a company in either of those geographic areas (Loop/River North or SOMA) is like shoveling cash into an incinerator.
Relative to where? The most expensive office space in the Loop (along Wacker Drive) runs just under $40/sq-ft/year. Palo Alto averages $55+ over the whole market (not just the choicest area). Mountain View is a more reasonable $32.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-09-08/business/ct-bi...
http://kiddermathews.com/downloads/research/office-market-re...
Re: How Big Is Chicago's Startup Scene? About SOMA-Sized, Actually
#10Long time reader and first time poster. As a Chicagoan and a huge fan of S.F., this pissed me off because of the pure lack of journalistic integrity (and logic for that matter) when putting this article together. The Chicago startup scene pales in comparison to San Francisco, everyone knows that. There is no need to go through some ridiculous and poorly executed comparison to prove it. My comment to his post on the Atlantic (edited for grammar):
That is hardly representative of both Chicago and San Francisco's startup scene. I am not sure which is more shocking to me, the fact that you are posting this on the Atlantic (an extremely well respected publication) or the fact that an editor approved this.
A. The San Francisco map doesn't even include Menlo Park, Mountain View, etc. The San Francisco startup scene is even larger than you depict. B. You don't list the San Francisco startups as you with the Chicago map. C. You just Googled the locations of a few well known Chicago startups and just plopped them on the map. Simply taking a few minutes to search you might have found 1871, a startup incubator located in Chicago's Merchandise Mart that is the home to several HUNDRED startups. http://www.1871.com/about/ D. The scale on the maps are not comparable. E. This is simply unintelligent and a perfect example of the poor journalism we see today.
In Short: Thank you for wasting five minutes of my life with your last minute-deadline submission that contributes zero value to society.