Start-ups and International Talent
Dan Grossman has a thought-provoking post entitled Silicon Valley's Hiring War - And The Impact to Startups. He suggests that Start-ups will start looking outside the Valley for talent:
"...I think the talent wars will be good for cities outside of the Valley, as companies look elsewhere to find smart people. It's already possible to stay connected and contribute from almost anywhere in the world."
He mentions my New Zealand-based blog as an example of how people as far away as the other side of the planet can contribute. I'd like to add that I actually earn my living as a consultant/contractor for various Silicon Valley companies - even though I live in New Zealand. I do analysis, research and writing work on Web 2.0, Social Media and RSS topics.
Dan also said that "we'll see an increasing number of important startups based outside of the Valley over the coming few years." Again, I think this is a trend to watch out for. Not only in big countries like China, but in very small countries like my own. I'm certainly keen to create and participate in Web 2.0 opportunities from my part of the world. You only need to look at a company like NZ-based Eurekster, creator of Swikis, to see that it can be done.
On that note, recently Nat Torkington from O'Reilly set up a Google Group for New Zealand Web 2.0 people, called NZ 2.0. Ironically this was instigated after Silicon Valley's Mike Arrington referred a local kiwi company to me, which led me to send a group email to a bunch of kiwis, which led to Nat creating the Google Group. So if there are any kiwis reading this who want to be part of NZ 2.0, shoot me an email (readwriteweb AT gmail DOT com). It's all happening Down Under! :-)
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Richard:
It's funny you should mention that. I just posted something on my blog (post is here: http://www.mathewingram.com/work/index.php/2005/11/20/is-web-20-just-one-big-party/) about how left out I feel sometimes working in Toronto. But your post gives me hope that maybe being located outside of Silicon Valley isn't such a bad thing after all :-)
Mathew
"It's all happening Down Under! :-)" ... what about us Aussies - can we join too?
It's funny, I always get the feeling that the new trends and all the hype come from the US and from Europe but it's great to see other Kiwis out there....
Aussie Richard, check this out:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/002933.php
Melbourne is where the web 2.0 scene is in Aus.
I believe Eurekster is based in San Francisco. Just visited their office.
I wish I had of heard about the Melbourne Long Tail Camp sooner. Would have been great to meet some local Web 2.0s.
Hi Bernard, I think their HQ is in SF. But their founders are based in Christchurch NZ and still work from there AFAIK.
Dave, there's another Melbourne 2.0 event coming up very soon. Contact Paul Montgomery at tinfinger or Ben Barren (see the link in comment 5).
Its great to see this observation being made from my perch here in Ireland which is rapidly turning into the Web2.0 center of Europe with companies like Nooked and Tablane. I'd love to see more extra-Valley Web2.0 discussion.
More pimp'n:
New Zealand technology blogs, "Planet NZtech":
http://stuff.rancidbacon.com/nztech/
Christchurch, NZ geek dinners, "The Valley in Christchurch":
http://groups.google.com/group/tvic
does not matter where your talent is located, it's globalization, anyone could do anything
*cough*cough* err UK anyone? ;)
I first got involved in the web back in 93, as I saw it as a way to work for anyone, anywhere, from anywhere. It's working out so far, and I get to do alot of work from home too using my equipment which I built, so I'm much more efficient.
globalization is indeed the word :)
I guess the WWW gives it away - *World Wide* Web :-)
Although it is strictly true that innovation can happen anywhere, Ireland has a superb framework for helping start-ups, as we have found with Tablane.
Enterprise Ireland, a government agency, offers a range of assistance, from cash to contacts, then, once a business is revenue generating, corporation tax at 12.5% and royalty payments on patented technologies being tax free, make a massive difference.
It is for that reason that there is more inward investment into Ireland from the US, than there is from the US into China! Come and join us :)