The first state I think of when I think about technology/innovation and entrepreneurship/startups, I think of the west coast or the east coast (but most of the time it’s specifically California). The Mid-west is probably the last place I would think of. Today, I found an interesting article that talks about the relationship between the Mid-west and startups. This article breaks down which cities in the Mid-west fosters the most startups, how much money is being invested each year in startups in the Mid-west, and how many deals are struck here. It looks like the Mid-west is experiencing some of the same growths patterns as the rest of the country.
Great article Annie! I always thought that Chicago had a thriving startup environment. However, my surprise was with Detroit. I thought Detroit would be ahead of Minneapolis and Columbus. This is because I assumed the technology advances in cars would result in more tech startups for the city of Detroit. Also, I have heard Jack Swarbrick talk about how Indianapolis is becoming a large market for healthcare. The article seemed to suggest this was the reason for Minneapolis’ success. I wonder if this is a tech startup trend that will continue to grow for the Midwest.
Mayor Pete just met with a bus load of venture capitalists and entrepreneurs who rode a bus through the rust belt, it’s super interesting that South Bend is getting chosen for the hub of so many new tech startups!
http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/37570870/venture-capitalist-tour-to-stop-in-south-bend
There was actually a big push during the Obama administration to subsidize high tech industries within the rust belt. They believed that start ups could help replace the manufacturing jobs lost in the region. You can find out more about specific initiative here: https://timryan.house.gov/rust-belt-tech-belt-timeline
Annie,
Thanks for posting, this is really cool! My significant other has worked in startups in DC and California and the cultural differences were striking from the East Coast to the West Coast, even though both were technically “startups.” I think it will be interesting to see how these models adapt in different parts of the country. I can imagine that some of the negative stereotypes associated with startup culture in SF might be remedied in a place like Chicago, just a thought.