
What NYC really needs: A support group for founders - aditya
http://foundersanonymous.tumblr.com/
======
vaksel
frankly I think the whole east coast vs west coast thing in startups is
stupid. You can do your startup from anywhere in the world....as long as you
have a decent internet connection.

You want support? Come to HN and ask for advice. You want to do some
collaboration with someone? Email/skype them. You want to listen to
speakers/discussions about startups? Hit up mixergy.

Why is it in the age of the web, we still try to localize everything?

The only thing that really matters "localization" wise...is capital. Because
in SV you have a ton of people investing in startups. While in NYC, the same
people are investing in the stock market.

That's the only difference....being able to raise a ton of money quickly,
simply by being local to the people who actually want to invest in tech
startups.

~~~
mtalantikite
"Why is it in the age of the web, we still try to localize everything?"

Because I still think there is something to be said about discussing things
over lunch or while having a beer. Is it necessary? Of course not. But there
is still something really nice about developing an in person, human
connection.

~~~
matt1
People often ask me why I want to move to the west coast if I want to work on
an internet business. After all, you can access the internet from anywhere.

The best analogy I've come up with is to say that it's like being a talented
actor living in rural Arkansas. Sure, you can act from anywhere, but living
somewhere that encourages and supports your talent (like Los Angeles in the
case of acting), can make all the difference.

------
mtalantikite
I'm not sure a support group is exactly what is needed -- there are a bunch of
those around (nextny comes to mind, and has been around for years).

However, I do agree that the startup scene is rather fragmented here in NYC.
While there definitely are neighborhoods with higher concentrations of tech
startups (SoHo, Chelsea, and Dumbo come to mind), there really is no 'startup
district', if you will. We don't have a neighborhood like, say, South Park,
where you have a ton of smaller startup companies concentrated into a fairly
small area, or even a common district home to all the large tech companies,
like the bay area has. We do have a financial district, fashion district,
theater district, diamond district, jazz district, etc etc.

While not totally necessary, I do think having a physical center where similar
types of businesses call home is really an overlooked part of the success of
an industry. It creates a community and helps facilitate a natural type of
networking, solely because people doing similar things run into each other
every day. Plus the after-work drinks in the neighborhood bars would probably
breed even more natural business deals/partnerships. I saw that happening a
lot when I worked on Wall St -- you'd be tripping over other hedge fund guys
at the pubs after work, just because of the nature of the neighborhood.

That said, I'd purpose somewhere like Gowanus in Brooklyn, where leases are
cheap and the neighborhood is only now starting to be developed. Lots of
Gowanus also has tax incentives associated with it, as it is one of the Empire
Zones. Not to mention you're close to the third largest subway stop in the
city, making commuting easy. Prospect Park is a short walk away as well.

The neighborhood is bound to change to a business focused area within a couple
of years anyways, once the stadium for the Brooklyn Nets is built a couple
blocks away at Atlantic Yards. Might as well make it a tech-centered district.

~~~
anamax
> We don't have a neighborhood like, say, South Park, where you have a ton of
> smaller startup companies concentrated into a fairly small area, or even a
> common district home to all the large tech companies, like the bay area has.

Where is this "common district home to all of the large tech companies, like
the bay area has" that you're referring to?

If you're thinking of Mountain View, Palo Alto, or San Francisco, you're
talking about a fairly large area that is also home to lots of other things.
If you're thinking of some neighborhood in SF or Berkeley, you're missing a
huge fraction of the startups in the Bay Area.

~~~
aditya
They did say South Park and I believe that and SoMA have most of the startup
action, don't they?

~~~
anamax
> They did say South Park and I believe that and SoMA have most of the startup
> action, don't they?

I doubt it. (I've never heard of "South Park" and I've been in the Bay Area
for years. I thought that SP was a reference to some NY district.)

SoMA may have about as many startups as NYC, but that's not enough to be
"most" in the Bay Area.

~~~
aditya
[http://www.nbcbayarea.com/around-
town/debates/Best_Startup_N...](http://www.nbcbayarea.com/around-
town/debates/Best_Startup_Neighborhood_South_Park_vs_Professorville.html)

You should really go check South Park out, it is a pretty part of town too.

~~~
anamax
That reference says that South Park is a part of SoMA, a part that I worked in
a couple of years ago. (SF is "famous" for folks inventing neighborhood names.
They often do so to try to influence real estate values.)

Like I said, SoMA, let alone South Park, is not where "most" Bay Area startups
are, even if it has more than the most popular NYC district.

------
idlewords
What NYC sorely needs is a place to get a good burrito.

Group hugs and talking about our feelings, and how sometimes when no one at
the startup is looking we cry just a very little bit?

Go back to California, hippie!

~~~
aditya
try: <http://twitter.com/calexicocart> for a good burrito. :-)

~~~
idlewords
I will, but I've been hurt before! That's where NYC could really use a support
group.

------
Sukotto
I'm in the target audience for something like this, though I live in a suburb
and not in _The City_.

It sounds awesome and I plan to sign up at my first opportunity.

~~~
aditya
cool - you're more than welcome, as soon as we set this up.

~~~
fortes
I'm interested as well. But I'm a little confused about the next step. Your
post leads me to believe we're all supposed to contact you? I get the feeling
that's not what you really want (for attendees)

~~~
aditya
hah - no. slight oversight, there.

join the google group: <http://groups.google.com/group/founders-anonymous>

------
aprime
nextNY may be close to what the author envisions: <http://www.nextny.org/>

~~~
aditya
nextNY isn't only founders, and is a little too big now. it is a great group
of people, just not as close knit as what i'm proposing...

------
yosho
isn't there the NYC meetup thing every monrth?

