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Anatomy of a startup community. 10 critical components of a vibrant startup scene.
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Anatomy of aStartup EcosystemAnd some thoughts on how to roll your own.
Date: March 24, 2012
Event: MadeByFew Conference
Author: Kristian Andersen | @KristianIndy
My name is Kristian. I’m a #designer, #founder, and #investor. I love #startups and the people that start them.
The Stack
StartupEcosystem
Entrepreneurs & Leaders
Community
Talent
Terroir
Corporate Patrons
Mentors
Services & Support
Access to Capital
Spaces & Places
Communication Platforms
Entrepreneurs & LeadersFolks with vision and thick skin, who will lead the charge
1
✚ Group of committed leaders
✚ Heavily biased toward action
✚ combination of young bucks & elder statesmen
✚ focused on a very long view
CommunitySometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name.
2
✚ Be findable
✚ pursue diversity // Expand network
✚ formalize the sharing of ideas
✚ Get the uninitiated & first timers on board
✚ Stage a variety of regular events
✚ Commit to supporting other startups // Be a customer
TalentIt all starts with talent. Ideas are cheap – execution rules.
3
✚ Focus on net talent gain
✚ A.B.R. (Always be recruiting)
✚ Higher education’S role must evolve
✚ states should have talent czar’s
✚ communities need loyalty programs
✚ resist homogeneity
TerroirIf you’re trying to be cool... you’ll always be on the wrong side of cool.
4
✚ identify the points of difference // unfair advantages
✚ embrace what is unique & indigenous to the area
✚ Develop an “insider language”
✚ stop apologizing
Corporate PatronsEverybody needs a sugar daddy.
5
✚ understand the business community’s family tree
✚ provide early revenue & serve as reference customers
✚ source for mentors
✚ become talent trading partners
✚ provide supportive, but honest feedback
✚ Find the intrapreneurs
MentorsSeed the ecosystem with folks that have been there and done that.
6
✚ Identify the top 10-15 in your market
✚ Startup Mentors typically come from the startup world
✚ Import what you don’t possess
✚ provide environments for them to connect
✚ always be looking to grow the fraternity
Services & SupportAccountants, attorneys, PR and marketing professionals, consultants, and Uncle Sam.
7
✚ Clearly communicate how they can help
✚ clearly communicate what’s in it for them
✚ start spreading the love... and equity
✚ Help them help you – then make them a star
✚ Map the genome and reward loyalty
✚ educate yourself on opportunity – ignorance is no excuse
Access to CapitalCapital seeks the highest return coupled with the lowest risk
8
✚ crisis of capital is greatly exaggerated
✚ become fluent in the language of investing
✚ always have the scene’s pitch tuned up
✚ know who is interested in what
✚ build bridges with other communities
Spaces & PlacesEvery community needs a home.
9
✚ place is secondary to community
✚ if you build it – they might, very well, not come
✚ if they’ve come however, you should go ahead and build it
✚ place can serve as a powerful symbol of unity and momentum
✚ provides a platform for connecting & story telling
10
10
Communication PlatformsTools for telling the stories
10
✚ formal communications strategy // The Big Idea
✚ Dedicated media site // e.g. – Silicon Prairie News
✚ multiple content creators // Diverse perspectives
✚ Every startup business is a publisher
✚ every startup citizen is a journalist
✚ be an educated evangelist
Q&A