5 ms·

I remember an article about how Gowalla was bringing SV talent to Austin. Heh.

kainosnoema 15y ago
This is definitely a big loss for Austin. There are still a few interesting startups in the area, but Gowalla was the one that made it a serious contender.
- oldstrangers 15y ago
  Evernote just moved in. We also have Facebook and Google offices.
  - JesseAldridge 15y ago
    Mutual Mobile too: http://www.forbes.com/lists/2011/28/most-promising-companies-11_Mutual-Mobile_RHQU.html http://www.forbes.com/lists/2011/28/most-promising-companies...
  - caseysoftware 15y ago
    Ebay/Paypal are investing big time in area too. I've chatted with a few of their recruiters to help.
  - adrianparsons 15y ago
    Infochimps, Indeed, HomeAway, Demand Media, and OtherInbox top my list of nationally-known startups in Austin. Am I missing any? Outside of the startup world: Apple, IBM, Dell and AMD have major campuses in Austin. I grew up in Austin and live in NYC. I love seeing Austin companies make waves, but I feel like the startup scene there is still in its early stages.
    - utan 15y ago
      BazaarVoice and WhaleShark Media are another two that come to mind.
- mcu 15y ago
  One "also-ran" does not a "serious contender" make. Or break.
- moses1400 15y ago
  I moved my company to Austin from NYC a year ago. Not one event have I been to where Gowalla was mentioned.
  - a5seo 15y ago
    I'll second that. Gowalla was in Austin in name only. Zero presence at any events, no penetration of the startup networks. They moved to Austin from Dallas, I hear, at the behest of investors.
    - moses1400 15y ago
      It's interesting how many startups are based here yet Gowalla got the huge press whenever Austin was mentioned. I wonder why this is - is it because of the Foursquare competition initially? Because they launched at SXSW and were a local company?
      - caseysoftware 15y ago
        No clue why they got all the attention.. but @mattt has gotten involved in the community here and there. I've run into him a few times at @damon's Friday Night Hacks. In terms of other startups, we have Other Inbox, Infochimps, WPEngine, and a number of other things that are relatively quiet. In terms of "big" players, we have Facebook, Evernote, Zynga, some of Sony's game dev (DC Universe Online started here), and Ebay/Paypal is moving in. OpsCode and Mozilla both have lead evangelists here too. And there are probably dozens of things I'm missing.. Disclosure: I'm a Developer Evangelist for Twilio and based in Austin.
  - drewcrawford 15y ago
    What company and where in Austin? (There's no info in your profile or comment history). I'm always looking to meet local entrepreneurs.
- tbrooks 15y ago
  How is this a big loss for Austin? Gowalla isn't involved in the community.
  - CoachRufus87 15y ago
    they are/were involved in the rails community
    - tbrooks 15y ago
      No, the individual developers from Gowalla were involved in the Rails community. Gowalla, as a company, was not.

This is definitely a big loss for Austin. There are still a few interesting startups in the area, but Gowalla was the one that made it a serious contender.

oldstrangers 15y ago
Evernote just moved in. We also have Facebook and Google offices.
- JesseAldridge 15y ago
  Mutual Mobile too: http://www.forbes.com/lists/2011/28/most-promising-companies-11_Mutual-Mobile_RHQU.html http://www.forbes.com/lists/2011/28/most-promising-companies...
- caseysoftware 15y ago
  Ebay/Paypal are investing big time in area too. I've chatted with a few of their recruiters to help.
- adrianparsons 15y ago
  Infochimps, Indeed, HomeAway, Demand Media, and OtherInbox top my list of nationally-known startups in Austin. Am I missing any? Outside of the startup world: Apple, IBM, Dell and AMD have major campuses in Austin. I grew up in Austin and live in NYC. I love seeing Austin companies make waves, but I feel like the startup scene there is still in its early stages.
  - utan 15y ago
    BazaarVoice and WhaleShark Media are another two that come to mind.
mcu 15y ago
One "also-ran" does not a "serious contender" make. Or break.
moses1400 15y ago
I moved my company to Austin from NYC a year ago. Not one event have I been to where Gowalla was mentioned.
- a5seo 15y ago
  I'll second that. Gowalla was in Austin in name only. Zero presence at any events, no penetration of the startup networks. They moved to Austin from Dallas, I hear, at the behest of investors.
  - moses1400 15y ago
    It's interesting how many startups are based here yet Gowalla got the huge press whenever Austin was mentioned. I wonder why this is - is it because of the Foursquare competition initially? Because they launched at SXSW and were a local company?
    - caseysoftware 15y ago
      No clue why they got all the attention.. but @mattt has gotten involved in the community here and there. I've run into him a few times at @damon's Friday Night Hacks. In terms of other startups, we have Other Inbox, Infochimps, WPEngine, and a number of other things that are relatively quiet. In terms of "big" players, we have Facebook, Evernote, Zynga, some of Sony's game dev (DC Universe Online started here), and Ebay/Paypal is moving in. OpsCode and Mozilla both have lead evangelists here too. And there are probably dozens of things I'm missing.. Disclosure: I'm a Developer Evangelist for Twilio and based in Austin.
- drewcrawford 15y ago
  What company and where in Austin? (There's no info in your profile or comment history). I'm always looking to meet local entrepreneurs.
tbrooks 15y ago
How is this a big loss for Austin? Gowalla isn't involved in the community.
- CoachRufus87 15y ago
  they are/were involved in the rails community
  - tbrooks 15y ago
    No, the individual developers from Gowalla were involved in the Rails community. Gowalla, as a company, was not.