

Boston to Develop 'Innovation District' and Funding Competition for Startups - jubbam
http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2010/05/boston_mayor_to.html

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blogimus
_Spencer Trask & Co. will be holding a startup competition starting in July
that will award the winner $25,000 to locate a business in that part of the
city_

I can imagine that 25K going really fast once you pull up out of your
apartment and set up a "real" office. The idea sounds half-baked to me. I'm in
the Boston area and would really like the startup culture to grow here, but I
get the feeling that our local government just doesn't get it.

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bediger
Doesn't Massachusetts enforce "no compete" agreements?

Do you own "intellectual property" you've developed on your own time, with
your own resources?

I'm given to understand that the answers are "yes" and "no" respectively.
Aren't those two of the major factors for the success of Silicon Valley?

~~~
jbarciauskas
Seems that while MA is not as hostile as CA to non-competes, I vaguely
remember from my business law class that they are still generally weak, and
this article confirms:

"Having been involved in counseling companies on noncompete issues for 20-plus
years, I have to admit that I am suprised to read this. While noncompetes are
pervasive in Massachusetts, many judges are unwilling to enforce them, or will
enforce them only in part (i.e., “you can’t work in this particular area for a
period of time”). The sense of lawyers in Massachusetts is that absent theft
or trade secret misappropriate of some sort, enforcing a noncompete is an
uphill fight, so better to negotiate than attack head-on. Most noncompete
disputes are negotiated to a private resolution."

[http://masslawblog.com/noncompete-agreements/why-has-
silicon...](http://masslawblog.com/noncompete-agreements/why-has-silicon-
valley-outperformed-boston-route-128-as-a-high-tech-hub/)

And what's the basis for thinking the second one is not true in MA? What legal
theory would hold that IP developed with your own time and resources not be
yours, unless you signed away that right explicitly (and even then, if there's
no consideration...)

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jnoller
I'll believe it when I see it - it will be very interesting to see if other VC
firms in the area (Sigma, Greylock, Matrix, Polaris, North Bridge, etc) get
involved in this at all.

As it is, I've not seen very many business-or-startup friendly movements
coming from the local and state government, so we'll see.

~~~
jubbam
I agree, getting other firms involved will definitely help the process and
could decide it's success or failure. The building(s) in that area alone
aren't going to attract startups. The whole package (location, funding, state
and local laws) needs to be more attractive.

At least they've announced they're working on it though. This still could go
no where, but it's nice to know startups are being talked about at the local
government level.

