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Subscribe via emailSilicon Valley is the best place in the world to start a software company. There’s no place better in terms of supporting the entrepreneurial ambition, access to capital, and an abundance of smart, ambitious people. It’s the ecosystem.
As most of you know, I now live in Seattle but I grew up and started my career in the bay area. Seattle is a magnet city. Microsoft, Expedia & Amazon recruit smart engineers, MBA’s, product managers and marketers. Sometimes these folks get some entrepreneurial ambition to strike out on their own.
Fortunately there are some forward thinking tech leaders here in Seattle who have shelved their personal ambitions temporarily in order to focus on helping develop the Seattle startup ecosystem. If you live or work in Seattle and care about our ecosystem you need to support it. I’m not suggesting that you should or that you might or that you ought to. You must. Just do it. Go spend $45 and come out and support the Seattle startup community by attending the Seattle 2.0 Awards on May 7, 2009 at the Pacific Science Center. If you want to do more, nominate your favorite startup for ‘Best Startup’ or ‘Best Bootstrapped Startup’ or nominate your favorite technologist, favorite CEO or favorite VC. Do something. Get involved. We’re in a new era of participation people. Complacency is no longer acceptable.
I look forward to meeting you at the big awards shindig. Oh and while you’re there, whisper in the ears of the Seattle technorati that working a little harder is fine with you. Microsoft was built on insustainably long work weeks, which they magically sustained for more than a decade. It’s only lately when Microsoft can’t compete with startups for the best and brightest that they’ve been pitching work/life balance. Don’t fall for it. A hard working, passionate work force is as vital an ingredient in the ecosystem as access to capital.
Let’s continue to nurture the Seattle startup ecosystem by attending this great event.