Finding your strengths. Growing

your region.

@MackKolarich

GDL = Awesome

But what’s next?

State of entrep

Regions Matter

How do we grow our regions?

Overview

Big picture• USA Regions• Los Angeles• Washington, DC• Rustbelt / Ohio / Great Lakes• Puget Sound

• Other Regions• Nepal• Saudi Arabia• Slovakia

Close-up• Frameworks

1) Brookings2) Startup America3) Startup Weekend

• Exercise• Apply frameworks to GDL

• Conclusion

Outcome: New perspectives on

how to grow our regions

Newspapers like rankings. Ignore them

Don’t copy!

People don’t buy tech.

They buy solutions to their problems.

For what problems – local, national, or global – is your region uniquely positioned

to solve?

USA – Stereotypes and Legacies

• San Francisco – Tech• Los Angeles = Hollywood• Las Vegas = Gambling• Seattle = Aerospace / IT• Midwest = Farming• Texas = Oil• Great Lakes Region =

Manufacturing• DC = Government• NYC = Finance• Boston = Medicine

Find your regional strengths. Obvious and hidden.

Then imagine the future.

USA Overview

Los Angeles

Legacy / Strength: Entertainment

Embracing its legacy…

Juay?

Because it’s exciting for

entrepreneurs!

Good startup scene

LA Sub Industry: Music

LA Sub Industry: Video

• Production Technology• Multi-channel Networks• Streaming platforms• Other video tech

LA Sub Industry: Fashion

• Hautelook • Daily Candy • Nasty Girl

• 100s of boutique brands, startups, and e-Commerce services

Washington, DC

Legacy / Strength: The U.S. Government

Escaping our legacy…

…because it’s kind of boring

Juay?

1) Government contracting

2) Defense

Is that all?

NO!

Growing startup scene

DC Sub Industry: Big Data

DC Sub Industry: Hospitality

DC Sub Industry: Geospatial / Maps

• 1000s of Geospatial analysts, engineers working for big organizations

• Very few startups. No GPS entrepreneurs!

Ohio River Valley - Manufacturing

Ohio area -- old

Ohio area – new == 3d printing

Puget Sound Region – IT, Cleantech

Strong region, what’s next?

Oportunidad

Focus

• Global expertise in “Energy Efficiency• 23,000 local jobs in

Cleantech. 40% in “Energy efficiency”• Retrofitting, green buildings,

LEED • Fast growing sector

Otras partes del Mundo

Pokhora, Nepal

Embracing Tourism

• 100s of tourism shops, offices, and companies that don’t talk to each other• Decentralized, no

organization• Lots of potential

NEXT STEP?• Startup Weekend Vertical

planned in June. • Tourism + Tech• Make an impact

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Escaping Legacy Looking for opportunity

Slovakia

Embracing strength: Automobiles

What makes an ecosystem?

The Brookings Perspective

• Government planning: state, local, and federal governments

• A business plan for governments• Economic vision and goals• Market analysis• Strategies• Products & services• Key participants• Financials

The Brookings Perspective

Human Capital

Innovation, Entrepreneurs

Effective Government

Transport Infrastructure

Informational Resources

Business clusters

The StartupAmerica Perspective

“We are all responsible for making our community better."

• Execute.• Experiment!• Celebrate failure• Think short term (90-120 days) and long-term (10, 15, 20 years)• 4 Quadrants: • Team, Execution, Vibrancy, Celebration

What defines a Startup Ecosystem?

• Startups• Talent• Investors• Mentors• Partners• Service Providers

Engage the entire ecosystem

Startup Meetups

Government

Community Orgs

Startups

Big companies

Higher Education

Startup Resources

Capital Resources

The Startup Weekend Perspective

1) Inspire yourself or others to take a risk

2) Discover: Explore ideas, market discovery

3) Founder: Focus. Big step. Little to no money. Customer validation.

4) Startup: small team, seed funding, iteration.

5) Scale: rapid growth, execution

6) Champion: Ecosystem leader. Icon. Creates investors.

Ciclo de vida del emprendedor

EXERCISE!!! 1) Divide in groups2) Each group gets one

“framework”3) Apply your framework to

Guadalajara or another region

4) Identify areas of strength, weakness, and ideas for improving the region

5) 10 minutes, then each team presents

How to leverage?

Traditional, NEXT, Corporate Verticals

• Mobile• eGov• 3D printing• Health• Art / film• Education• Food• …

Hackathon.io(Often industry specific)

Recap

• The world is shrinking• Regions are focusing• Regional strengths• Embrace? Escape?• Unpack

• Building your ecosystem• Many perspectives!• None are perfect• Apply them all

• Get others involved• Be a bridge• Events are great• Expos• Intrapreneurs