5 ms·

Reverse the Boston Startup Curse

14 points by champion 16y ago

m0nastic 16y ago
I feel like you're inventing this concept of Boston being a "startup curse" as an excuse to use a bunch of Red Sox analogies. I'm genuinely curious if anyone else feels the same way about startups in Boston? The impression I get is that there's a fairly active startup scene centered mostly around Biotech and CS, a lot of smart kids, and historically not as much funding (but that seems to be changing).
- freerobby 16y ago
  You're definitely right about Boston having an active startup community with lots of smart folks. Personally I don't feel we have a "startup curse," but it is definitely something that others talk about. It's generally in reference to the fact that despite having all the things that you've mentioned, we're yet to have a company exit or grow on par with the most successful San Francisco startups.
  - m0nastic 16y ago
    Yeah, that's why I was curious what people in Boston felt. I left about 12 years ago (coincidentally to the Bay Area, although my reasons for moving were more surfing-related than startup-related), so I don't think I'm a particularly good judge of what the current scene is like.
- jsavimbi 16y ago
  "not as much funding" You hit the nail on the head. It would be too easy to pick apart the examples given based on past/recent performance, but what it boils down to is money being thrown around. Steroids aside, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that money bought championship teams and attracted top-quality entrepreneurs (because that's what modern-era free agents are) to the local team. Money. And until someone starts handing out money and perks like they do out in SF/SV, Botson will remain unchanged, regardless of all the crushers out there dropping names at meetups.
  - sachinag 16y ago
    There's plenty of later stage money; it's the seed capital that's lacking.
- jbooth 16y ago
  Maybe, but everyone loves that sign. Just looking at it made me consider moving back and trying to start my biz idea.
  - jsavimbi 16y ago
    They closed that bug on the bridge awhile ago when they redid the Charles/MGH station.
    - jbooth 16y ago
      Heresy!
ianal12345 16y ago
IANAL - but I thought the problem was that MA courts so aggressively backed non-competes to the extent that if you worked for a MA software company and went anywhere else they could sue, even if there was no explicit non-compete in the contract. Because of this CA companies had an unofficial (but very widely known) no-hires from MA companies rule.

14 points by champion 16y ago

I feel like you're inventing this concept of Boston being a "startup curse" as an excuse to use a bunch of Red Sox analogies. I'm genuinely curious if anyone else feels the same way about startups in Boston? The impression I get is that there's a fairly active startup scene centered mostly around Biotech and CS, a lot of smart kids, and historically not as much funding (but that seems to be changing).

freerobby 16y ago
You're definitely right about Boston having an active startup community with lots of smart folks. Personally I don't feel we have a "startup curse," but it is definitely something that others talk about. It's generally in reference to the fact that despite having all the things that you've mentioned, we're yet to have a company exit or grow on par with the most successful San Francisco startups.
- m0nastic 16y ago
  Yeah, that's why I was curious what people in Boston felt. I left about 12 years ago (coincidentally to the Bay Area, although my reasons for moving were more surfing-related than startup-related), so I don't think I'm a particularly good judge of what the current scene is like.
jsavimbi 16y ago
"not as much funding" You hit the nail on the head. It would be too easy to pick apart the examples given based on past/recent performance, but what it boils down to is money being thrown around. Steroids aside, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that money bought championship teams and attracted top-quality entrepreneurs (because that's what modern-era free agents are) to the local team. Money. And until someone starts handing out money and perks like they do out in SF/SV, Botson will remain unchanged, regardless of all the crushers out there dropping names at meetups.
- sachinag 16y ago
  There's plenty of later stage money; it's the seed capital that's lacking.
jbooth 16y ago
Maybe, but everyone loves that sign. Just looking at it made me consider moving back and trying to start my biz idea.
- jsavimbi 16y ago
  They closed that bug on the bridge awhile ago when they redid the Charles/MGH station.
  - jbooth 16y ago
    Heresy!

ianal12345 16y ago

IANAL - but I thought the problem was that MA courts so aggressively backed non-competes to the extent that if you worked for a MA software company and went anywhere else they could sue, even if there was no explicit non-compete in the contract. Because of this CA companies had an unofficial (but very widely known) no-hires from MA companies rule.