The next big startup city isn’t a city at all

With the availability of housing & office space in San Francisco seemingly the talk of the Twittersphere lately, there has been some discussion around which city will be the next ‘home of startups’.

New York, Paris, Tel-Aviv, Boulder, Barcelona, Singapore, Amsterdam — just some of the cities being considered for their access to finance, accommodation, talent and more.

However, I don’t think these cities are where the next startup population will live & work. In fact, I don’t think it will be in a city at all.

So, where?

For a long time, startup founders have been networking and accessing educational content, tools & opportunities online. Yet there isn’t a place for them to come together as they might do in a specific geographical location.

LinkedIn is the home of recruiters & professionals of all kinds. Entrepreneurs are allowed, of course, but it doesn’t feel like ‘home’. Places like ProductHunt & IndieHackers are both great, but they are not known by the masses and are certainly not recognised by those that don’t consider themselves tech-focused.

Ultimately, there doesn’t seem to be one central location to ‘hang out’ with like-minded founders, and their teams, on a global scale. One with the benefits of an accelerator, but without the limitations of needing to apply. One with the support of a coach, yet without the associated costs. One available to anyone wanting to explore entrepreneurship.

Barriers

The startup experience is full of barriers, many of which are created by existing in a physical space. Attaching startup culture to a specific locale is what limits ‘outsiders’ exposure to entrepreneurial ideas, impacts the cost of living and drives investment into certain markets. An alternative online experience wouldn’t need to have any of these barriers.

It stands to reason that a virtual startup ecosystem would negate the worry of all of the above and enable anyone, regardless of who they are or their circumstances, to access the opportunity that they need.

Vs. Real-life

“But an online experience can’t compete with real life, can it?” might be the words uttered by some — easy to say when you’re privileged enough to already be able to access opportunities. But, what if you can’t? Where do you go?

More and more we’re seeing startup teams go remote. What about the individuals leading those teams and their own peers. And what about the support systems they’re accessing? If startups are going remote, shouldn’t support do the same?

Technology has bought us to an age where video conferencing software, Zoom, is valued at $30bn. The ability to connect ‘in-person’ online is also now possible with platforms like Teooh enabling you to connect with others as a virtual version of yourself in a virtual conference venue. Twitch & Discord have enabled big fanbases to connect concurrently and build large networks centred around a common theme.

The technology exists now to bring people together, support them, and democratise entrepreneurial opportunity in a new way; a way that feels fun — that people want to engage with, enjoy doing so and get everything they need from it.

A vision of the future

What if the world’s next greatest company was sitting in the mind of someone facing barriers that ‘place’ as a physical space creates. What if they could pick up their device and access a virtual ecosystem, full of people, resources and opportunities to help them make their idea a reality? And what if the experience was as good — if not better — than it would otherwise be offline?

Now that would be exciting.