6 ms·

Can Technology Redefine Detroit?

29 points by BallinBige 14y ago

lrs 14y ago
What's the idea behind that "Submit a Story" uncollapsible floating tab on the left side of the page? Seems like you're obstructing a pretty important, content-dense part of the screen with something unimportant and obnoxious that doesn't even generate revenue. Please reconsider this design. EDIT: It's come to my attention that this only appears to be an issue at 1024x768, which I'm currently using because I'm at work and my employer's computer hardware is ancient. This is probably not a problem for the typical user.
- growdetroit 14y ago
  Reconsidered.
rglover 14y ago
I've been thinking about this quite a bit lately. I live in Ann Arbor (about an hour west of Detroit) and the area does seem primed for a revolution. I think it will take a handful of well-known people to say "this is the next spot" for everything to explode. Hopefully this conf is the start of that.
- growdetroit 14y ago
  One, thanks for reading (and whoever posted, thank you). I agree with you, personally I think it's a combination of needing more local success stories, as well as recognition by the Nat'l Startup community that we have something to bring to the dance. Folks like Steve Blank seem to be taking note of the region's efforts. We hosted him last month and his investment into the Michigan eLab (Venture Fund) in your neck of the woods (Ann Arbor) seems to be a strong indicator that something is here...
  - freehunter 14y ago
    I've been trying to get Detroit recognized as a start-up success story [1] for a few months here on HN. For those living in Detroit, the turn-around might be hard to see. I live in West Michigan, and in the past decade I've noticed a huge change in the Detroit area. I only visit Detroit a couple times per year, but every time I come by there's something new that surprises me. In the last few years, I've even taken to parking and walking some streets that I wouldn't have previously. I could even see myself taking employment in Detroit; maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but the city is getting there. Mitt Romney might have famously called to let Detroit go bankrupt, but all it really needed was some investors who cared enough to force a paradigm shift. Look at Detroit startups such as Neowin, Fathead, Stardock, etc. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3923825 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3923825
    - jerf 14y ago
      "Mitt Romney might have famously called to let Detroit go bankrupt, but all it really needed was some investors who cared enough to force a paradigm shift." Those two things are unrelated. Bankruptcy doesn't mean the city physically disappears or anything. The reason one declares bankruptcy is to clear debts (in a fairly drastic way), which opens capital up to do things other than service debt. It may yet be a necessary or desirable step.
      - freehunter 14y ago
        You're right, Detroit hasn't avoided bankruptcy yet. Like you said, though, bankruptcy is drastic and has consequences. It could be possible to rebuild without suffering that blow and without a bailout.
  - rglover 14y ago
    Impressive. I wasn't aware of his visit, wish I could have made it out. What's a good way to get in touch with you? I'd love to have a more formal discussion about where you see the area going and if there's any way I can participate.
    - growdetroit 14y ago
      Would be great to chat over a coffee. alex@growdetroit.com Here's a nice highlight of the event (and a snapshot of Steve and I): http://www.xconomy.com/detroit/2012/07/18/steve-blank-on-detroits-renaissance-and-the-uncoolness-of-startups/ http://www.xconomy.com/detroit/2012/07/18/steve-blank-on-det...
smurph 14y ago
I think one or two big time tech company campuses would make a world of difference in downtown Detroit. Open a big dev shop, recruit underpaid people from local companies and best and brightest from Big 10 schools. Just please, don't feel obligated to focus on automotive customers just because you're in Detroit.
- growdetroit 14y ago
  That's another interesting topic of discussion though! It's funny that national media (and even our local newspapers here in Detroit) tend to write-off the American autos as out of touch. Not discounting this sentiment, but they are making moves... The Ford family have been investing in auto tech like P2P car-sharing (Wheelz) via the investment fund, Fontinalis Partners. Meanwhile, GM Ventures is investing resources into startups like RelayRides.
- mgkimsal 14y ago
  what will make more difference is grocery stores and other amenities people need to live in an area. tech campuses that bring people to work, then drive back to the suburbs... not enough to build sustainable changes. everything will be at the whim of the people deciding to place businesses there (for charitable reasons, or other), instead of any locals having any say or needs to fulfill.
  - growdetroit 14y ago
    Agreed, but you're missing an important point. An influx of workers who move into the community will ultimately yield an increase in grocery stores and amenities. Companies like Quicken (mentioned in the article) provide significant incentives to get their 4k+ employees to relocate downtown. And it's working...
    - mgkimsal 14y ago
      i've worked at quickenloans, have lived in the metro detroit area, and have worked in downtown detroit. It needs more lifestyle infrastructure than one or two companies can provide incentives for. The state needs to take over the city, incent multiple neighborhood businesses (grocery stores, shopping malls, etc) to be relocating within a moderate radius of the downtown area, and incent families to move there (tax breaks, land redistribution, etc). Pull eminent domain on dozens of square miles of abandoned houses, relocate people if necessary, etc. Businesses grow around people, but people have way too many choices as to where to live. If Detroit is going to even moderately survive again, drastic action needs to be taken on multiple fronts - legal/govt, individuals and private businesses. I applaud the steps QL and others have taken, but it tends to be not enough - Compuware 15(?) years ago moved there and it didn't do much, for example.
msdet11 14y ago
I've also thought quite a bit about this the past year. I moved to downtown Detroit after graduating from school, and I absolutely love it down here. Granted it isn't as bustling as the valley or SF, but we are slowly building a community of super talented individuals. Hopefully Techonomy can get a few more people out of the woodwork and interested in the community. I'm personally very interested in who is bootstrapping their business from the ground up. I have been doing so for about a year and it has been working out great.
- fortes 14y ago
  Out of curiosity -- what makes Detroit special (aside from cost)? Why would Detroit be a better choice for Tech than other 2nd tier centers?
  - msdet11 14y ago
    Personally I'd say it would depend on the type of software a particular company is making. I think advancements in health tech have a ton of potential here with some of the research going on at the academic centers in the area (Wayne State, Karmanos, Henry Ford Health System, DMC, and outlying areas like UofM and MSU). Enterprise software while not as sexy would also probably be a good fit here as well. If an entrepreneur can make solid connections with the autos and outlying manufacturers and suppliers it can really give you some nice profit and list of clientele that is impressive. Other sorts of software startups may have a tougher time here due to the lack of coverage we get compared to other cities and Valley/SF. While we have DVP, Bizdom, and Compuware ventures it is also tougher to find funding then some areas. There are downsides to the city, but I've grown up in the area since I was born so my connection to it is fairly deep and I really want to see the city flourish as it once did.
    - growdetroit 14y ago
      Totally agree with your perspective on enterprise software, and inroads to the auto/suppliers/etc being a tremendous opportunity. I initially thought the same about lack of funding, but it is not true. There are numerous funds as well as angel investors across the state of Michigan that are poorly connected, and historically as a region we've done a poor job of highlighting accomplishments of up-and-comers. We're trying to improve this dynamic.
kscottz 14y ago
I moved back to Ann Arbor from NYC about six months ago. I think I had to move to New York to see how truly awesome things are here. There is a lot top notch technical talent, the cost of living is low, and abundant cheap space makes it a startup's dream. The quality of life in Ann Arbor is very good, particularly if you want to start a family. To be honest a lot of the really talented people I met in NYC were midwest ex-pats looking for work. Our start-up is banking on the notion that things are coming full circle for technology, and that we'll see a shift from consumer facing web-applications to physical hardware. Lately it seems that the New York Times agrees: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/technology/silicon-valleys-hardware-renaissance.xml http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/technology/silicon-vall... http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/business/new-wave-of-adept-robots-is-changing-global-industry.html?pagewanted=all http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/business/new-wave-of-adept...
- growdetroit 14y ago
  Hi K, I remember your name from previous threads on this topic. Would love to meet you in Ann Arbor for coffee and learn more about what ya'll are working on.
manglav 14y ago
$500 for a ticket? As a student, I'd love to go, but that's a little much. Does anyone know of any student tickets, or company sponsoring tickets? I'll wear as much company swag as you want, and be there the whole day.
- growdetroit 14y ago
  There are a few opportunities for student outreach from what I've heard. Contact us and we'll see if we can connect you to someone that can help.
  - manglav 14y ago
    Couldn't find an email on growdetroit.com, so I facebook messaged you. Thanks for the help! I really appreciate it.
- kscottz 14y ago
  Yeah, that is too rich for my blood. Plus it is during the week. Real startups have work to do during the week.
rmason 14y ago
I grew up in Detroit when it was at its peak, then I watched it crash and burn. Though I live outstate I've been in Detroit at least monthly for the past two years and am convinced that I am witnessing its rebirth. Detroit is like a startup there is huge opportunity with a capital O along with huge risk. As a result Detroit has become a magnet for ambitious young people. The city's despair has made it open to bold ideas where you'd never get a hearing anywhere else. Want to start a farm? The city will sell you the land and even tear the buildings down for you. Want to own a skyscraper? Detroit has over fifty for sale and according to the Wall Street Journal they're at the lowest prices anywhere in the world. http://www.dailywealth.com/952/The-Cheapest-Skyscrapers-In-The-World http://www.dailywealth.com/952/The-Cheapest-Skyscrapers-In-T...

29 points by BallinBige 14y ago

lrs 14y ago

What's the idea behind that "Submit a Story" uncollapsible floating tab on the left side of the page? Seems like you're obstructing a pretty important, content-dense part of the screen with something unimportant and obnoxious that doesn't even generate revenue. Please reconsider this design. EDIT: It's come to my attention that this only appears to be an issue at 1024x768, which I'm currently using because I'm at work and my employer's computer hardware is ancient. This is probably not a problem for the typical user.

growdetroit 14y ago
Reconsidered.

rglover 14y ago

I've been thinking about this quite a bit lately. I live in Ann Arbor (about an hour west of Detroit) and the area does seem primed for a revolution. I think it will take a handful of well-known people to say "this is the next spot" for everything to explode. Hopefully this conf is the start of that.

growdetroit 14y ago
One, thanks for reading (and whoever posted, thank you). I agree with you, personally I think it's a combination of needing more local success stories, as well as recognition by the Nat'l Startup community that we have something to bring to the dance. Folks like Steve Blank seem to be taking note of the region's efforts. We hosted him last month and his investment into the Michigan eLab (Venture Fund) in your neck of the woods (Ann Arbor) seems to be a strong indicator that something is here...
- freehunter 14y ago
  I've been trying to get Detroit recognized as a start-up success story [1] for a few months here on HN. For those living in Detroit, the turn-around might be hard to see. I live in West Michigan, and in the past decade I've noticed a huge change in the Detroit area. I only visit Detroit a couple times per year, but every time I come by there's something new that surprises me. In the last few years, I've even taken to parking and walking some streets that I wouldn't have previously. I could even see myself taking employment in Detroit; maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but the city is getting there. Mitt Romney might have famously called to let Detroit go bankrupt, but all it really needed was some investors who cared enough to force a paradigm shift. Look at Detroit startups such as Neowin, Fathead, Stardock, etc. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3923825 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3923825
  - jerf 14y ago
    "Mitt Romney might have famously called to let Detroit go bankrupt, but all it really needed was some investors who cared enough to force a paradigm shift." Those two things are unrelated. Bankruptcy doesn't mean the city physically disappears or anything. The reason one declares bankruptcy is to clear debts (in a fairly drastic way), which opens capital up to do things other than service debt. It may yet be a necessary or desirable step.
    - freehunter 14y ago
      You're right, Detroit hasn't avoided bankruptcy yet. Like you said, though, bankruptcy is drastic and has consequences. It could be possible to rebuild without suffering that blow and without a bailout.
- rglover 14y ago
  Impressive. I wasn't aware of his visit, wish I could have made it out. What's a good way to get in touch with you? I'd love to have a more formal discussion about where you see the area going and if there's any way I can participate.
  - growdetroit 14y ago
    Would be great to chat over a coffee. alex@growdetroit.com Here's a nice highlight of the event (and a snapshot of Steve and I): http://www.xconomy.com/detroit/2012/07/18/steve-blank-on-detroits-renaissance-and-the-uncoolness-of-startups/ http://www.xconomy.com/detroit/2012/07/18/steve-blank-on-det...

smurph 14y ago

I think one or two big time tech company campuses would make a world of difference in downtown Detroit. Open a big dev shop, recruit underpaid people from local companies and best and brightest from Big 10 schools. Just please, don't feel obligated to focus on automotive customers just because you're in Detroit.

growdetroit 14y ago
That's another interesting topic of discussion though! It's funny that national media (and even our local newspapers here in Detroit) tend to write-off the American autos as out of touch. Not discounting this sentiment, but they are making moves... The Ford family have been investing in auto tech like P2P car-sharing (Wheelz) via the investment fund, Fontinalis Partners. Meanwhile, GM Ventures is investing resources into startups like RelayRides.
mgkimsal 14y ago
what will make more difference is grocery stores and other amenities people need to live in an area. tech campuses that bring people to work, then drive back to the suburbs... not enough to build sustainable changes. everything will be at the whim of the people deciding to place businesses there (for charitable reasons, or other), instead of any locals having any say or needs to fulfill.
- growdetroit 14y ago
  Agreed, but you're missing an important point. An influx of workers who move into the community will ultimately yield an increase in grocery stores and amenities. Companies like Quicken (mentioned in the article) provide significant incentives to get their 4k+ employees to relocate downtown. And it's working...
  - mgkimsal 14y ago
    i've worked at quickenloans, have lived in the metro detroit area, and have worked in downtown detroit. It needs more lifestyle infrastructure than one or two companies can provide incentives for. The state needs to take over the city, incent multiple neighborhood businesses (grocery stores, shopping malls, etc) to be relocating within a moderate radius of the downtown area, and incent families to move there (tax breaks, land redistribution, etc). Pull eminent domain on dozens of square miles of abandoned houses, relocate people if necessary, etc. Businesses grow around people, but people have way too many choices as to where to live. If Detroit is going to even moderately survive again, drastic action needs to be taken on multiple fronts - legal/govt, individuals and private businesses. I applaud the steps QL and others have taken, but it tends to be not enough - Compuware 15(?) years ago moved there and it didn't do much, for example.

msdet11 14y ago

I've also thought quite a bit about this the past year. I moved to downtown Detroit after graduating from school, and I absolutely love it down here. Granted it isn't as bustling as the valley or SF, but we are slowly building a community of super talented individuals. Hopefully Techonomy can get a few more people out of the woodwork and interested in the community. I'm personally very interested in who is bootstrapping their business from the ground up. I have been doing so for about a year and it has been working out great.

fortes 14y ago
Out of curiosity -- what makes Detroit special (aside from cost)? Why would Detroit be a better choice for Tech than other 2nd tier centers?
- msdet11 14y ago
  Personally I'd say it would depend on the type of software a particular company is making. I think advancements in health tech have a ton of potential here with some of the research going on at the academic centers in the area (Wayne State, Karmanos, Henry Ford Health System, DMC, and outlying areas like UofM and MSU). Enterprise software while not as sexy would also probably be a good fit here as well. If an entrepreneur can make solid connections with the autos and outlying manufacturers and suppliers it can really give you some nice profit and list of clientele that is impressive. Other sorts of software startups may have a tougher time here due to the lack of coverage we get compared to other cities and Valley/SF. While we have DVP, Bizdom, and Compuware ventures it is also tougher to find funding then some areas. There are downsides to the city, but I've grown up in the area since I was born so my connection to it is fairly deep and I really want to see the city flourish as it once did.
  - growdetroit 14y ago
    Totally agree with your perspective on enterprise software, and inroads to the auto/suppliers/etc being a tremendous opportunity. I initially thought the same about lack of funding, but it is not true. There are numerous funds as well as angel investors across the state of Michigan that are poorly connected, and historically as a region we've done a poor job of highlighting accomplishments of up-and-comers. We're trying to improve this dynamic.

kscottz 14y ago

I moved back to Ann Arbor from NYC about six months ago. I think I had to move to New York to see how truly awesome things are here. There is a lot top notch technical talent, the cost of living is low, and abundant cheap space makes it a startup's dream. The quality of life in Ann Arbor is very good, particularly if you want to start a family. To be honest a lot of the really talented people I met in NYC were midwest ex-pats looking for work. Our start-up is banking on the notion that things are coming full circle for technology, and that we'll see a shift from consumer facing web-applications to physical hardware. Lately it seems that the New York Times agrees: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/technology/silicon-valleys-hardware-renaissance.xml http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/technology/silicon-vall... http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/business/new-wave-of-adept-robots-is-changing-global-industry.html?pagewanted=all http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/business/new-wave-of-adept...

growdetroit 14y ago
Hi K, I remember your name from previous threads on this topic. Would love to meet you in Ann Arbor for coffee and learn more about what ya'll are working on.

manglav 14y ago

$500 for a ticket? As a student, I'd love to go, but that's a little much. Does anyone know of any student tickets, or company sponsoring tickets? I'll wear as much company swag as you want, and be there the whole day.

growdetroit 14y ago
There are a few opportunities for student outreach from what I've heard. Contact us and we'll see if we can connect you to someone that can help.
- manglav 14y ago
  Couldn't find an email on growdetroit.com, so I facebook messaged you. Thanks for the help! I really appreciate it.
kscottz 14y ago
Yeah, that is too rich for my blood. Plus it is during the week. Real startups have work to do during the week.

rmason 14y ago

I grew up in Detroit when it was at its peak, then I watched it crash and burn. Though I live outstate I've been in Detroit at least monthly for the past two years and am convinced that I am witnessing its rebirth. Detroit is like a startup there is huge opportunity with a capital O along with huge risk. As a result Detroit has become a magnet for ambitious young people. The city's despair has made it open to bold ideas where you'd never get a hearing anywhere else. Want to start a farm? The city will sell you the land and even tear the buildings down for you. Want to own a skyscraper? Detroit has over fifty for sale and according to the Wall Street Journal they're at the lowest prices anywhere in the world. http://www.dailywealth.com/952/The-Cheapest-Skyscrapers-In-The-World http://www.dailywealth.com/952/The-Cheapest-Skyscrapers-In-T...