PM if you're interested in chatting. We have something we're working on that might be a good fit for the right group. I'm always happy to chat at the very least.
The startup scene here in Vancouver is scrappy but really shouldn't be compared to SV in any way, it's just not a fair comparison.
We are, however, woefully under-represented with experienced seed stage investors, as the author states. The few that are here have abandoned seed and pre seed and are exclusively VC, mid to late round investors. Can't blame them, either, as the wins are still few and far between.
Vancity seems to excel at bridging H1B visas for large firms hoping to cycle them into the US once they've cleared. Candidates get here easier and quicker.
We're also a cost effective labour farm, and our devs are happy for the work to help pay for their ridiculous mortgages.
Great city to live in, worst city to fundraise, good place to launch and validate, and really nice for avoiding the noise.
We'll see a unicorn or two in the coming years. They'll just go a much different path than the typical SV startup.
The word is out in the last few years though with any young developer googling Vancouver. Low pay, high cost of living not worth it. Even the founder of Hootsuite wrote an op-ed and the situation is only worse since the 2 years ago he wrote that. Something that pays 125,000USD in SF pays like 78,000CAD here. Condo's are $1000/sqft still.
Sometimes I fantasize about winning the lottery and go browse condos to see what I could buy.....$5M downtown gets you something completely unimpressive, it's really hard to fathom.
Absolutely. See this a lot more in Waterloo/Toronto for sure.
Just had a convo with a NYC venture friend who was raised here in Vancity and his quote was revealing. He said the stink of the VSE resource pump and dump era is still prevalent.
I've been approached by 3 different groups trying to list us pre launch here in town. When that's the culture of the investment scene, it's tough to make anything great.
VSE = Vancouver Stock Exchange. Pump and dump is a market timing strategy where you ride an inconsequential stock's rise over a relatively short time and then sell. I have no idea how that relates to parent's last sentence.
It contributes to the investment culture in the city, despite strong efforts from Wertz and a handful of others to lead a more enlightened approach and build great companies.
It's not the only challenge the city has, there are a myriad of forces at play, and some are positive. Best way to fix it is to get more startups earning more customers and growing locally. Nothing stopping them from doing that, just wont be as fast as SV is all.
Clearly you've never watched a single Bond movie. The only thing a villain enjoys more than committing a crime, is revealing the intricate plan by which he will get away with it.
He's stuck in the success trap. You've detailed a list that has very little actual correlation to fulfillment. Those are all issues related to security, comfort, and a lifelong desire to one day avoid work.
I wrote a couple pieces on this at startupathlete.com.
Protip: millions of $ =/= success. Ask any millionaire what they would wish for and it's not another million $.
That being said, one of the best questions to ask when someone is in a rut is, 'if money was no object, if you had millions in the bank, what would you be doing'. The follow up, 'why aren't you doing that', will always have some excuse about money, which is bullshit. It's about fear, security, and risk tolerance.
The happiest people I know have the stones to risk their pride, lose all their stuff, and live with mistakes. The saddest people I know spend their later lives regretting the risks they never took.
As a restaurateur I've been watching with fascination as this debate rages in our industry. The payments side is the most beneficial part of it, all the rest of the processes still require a human touch.
I've been cheering this innovation, but have yet to see it done well, even by e la carte and its other top competitors. People will always be the most powerful differentiator in foodservice, and tablets aren't there yet.
This speaks volumes to me of how Applebee's thinks of it's guests.
As a restaurateur I love the idea, but shouldn't the service be the same? A good manager isn't waiting for a server to report being undertipped, but actively looking to fill holes that service may have missed.
3d Digital design, CNC manufacturing with laser and router machines, and we still depend on a lot of skilled and talented people on the bench.
So much of my time in software project management has been an asset here.