

UK Plans Tech Cluster, Startup Visa, Review Of IP Law, £200M In Finance - cwan
http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/03/east-london-tech-cluster/

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redwoods
How about "Silicon Ditch?" "Silicon Roundabout" is one name that has stuck for
the tech cluster around the ugly traffic circle in the Old Street area of
Shoreditch, East London. I think "Silicon Ditch" is catchier and maybe
articulates the British penchant for self-deprecation better...

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DanI-S
I think it's great that the government are trying to catalyse stuff, but it'd
be fantastic if they would scatter some money OUTSIDE OF BLOODY LONDON.

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russss
For a small company, getting money out of the government in London is like
getting blood out of a stone.

It's a lot easier to get local government funding and grants outside of
London, although the CSR will probably change all that.

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ig1
Why this won't work: You can't build a startup cluster to "renew an area".

It doesn't work like that. Old Street works because the location is decent
(safe and well connected), it's cheap and the other companies there. The area
has to attract people who want to work there and you can't artificially build
that.

The location they're proposing put this new tech area goes through the area
known as "murder mile". Yes it's cheap, but it's high crime rate means
startups aren't going to locate there. It would be like trying to build a
startup cluster in the Bronx because it's near the NY startup community.

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tav
Got a link for the tech cluster going through murder mile statement? I only
saw mentions of "East London" and "Olympic Park".

Also, having lived in murder mile, I don't really see how it's unsafe
nowadays. Definitely sucked with regards transport though. Only so many night
buses one wants to take in life =)

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russss
The article says "a tech cluster that they hope will stretch from Shoreditch
and Old Street to the Olympic Park."

I suspect it will just cover Old Street _and_ the Olympic Park though.

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Towle_
£200M in finance: Because nobody knows the VC game like pencil-pushing
bureaucrats.

