Startup Hubs in the UK - Where To Put One?
Feb 28, 2009 · 2 minute readI always enjoy reading things by Paul Graham, even if I’d like to be able to disagree with his conclusions on occasion. It’s not just that I love Hackers and Painters, but also he often says things like the following that make me smile:
hackers are much more constrained by gentlemen’s agreements than regulations. If they shake your hand on a promise, they’ll keep it. But show them a lock and their first thought is how to pick it.
His latest short essay concerns startup hubs again, something that I’m actually pretty interested in, end up talking to people about, but hardly ever writing anything on. Mike over at Techcrunch Uk elicited some good comments last year with a post on the subject. As usual Graham focuses on the US, but what about translating his idea of buying a Startup Hub and applying it to the UK? He sets several criteria for success:
- Do you have good weather?
- Do people live downtown, or have they abandoned the center for the suburbs?
- Would the city be described as “hip” and “tolerant,” or as reflecting “traditional values?”
- Are there good universities nearby? Are there walkable neighborhoods?
- Would nerds feel at home?
Lets assume for the moment that the idea would work. Take £15-20million and invest in 30 or so well chosen startups on the condition they move into town. The question is then: where in the UK would this be most likely to work? And are their any UK specific criteria that would increase the success rate?
Some people might be thinking “but no UK city is going to invest £20million in a scheme to encourage startups”. Leeds is doing just that. Or rather Yorkshire Forward are putting up £35million along with Leeds University putting up £31milion. What are they doing with all that money? They are going to build a big building with it - which is exactly what Graham says won’t work.