Comments on: Atlanta Tech Startups: A Hub of Innovation?

By: Moushumi Kabir

Moushumi Kabir — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:04:19 +0000

Thanks for all your views. My overall recap around this post is at http://wp.nu/e4. Thanks.

By: AX

AX — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:21:33 +0000

M –

You’re making a moving target. Your original post compared the press/attention garnered by publicly-traded venture-backed companies to bootstrap companies with shorter track records. I explained why it’s easier to get press when you’re on the NASDAQ than when you’re not.

I agree with the constructive criticism, but please criticize on the merits. Why not stop by some of the other local startup events and see for yourself (the MIT event does not fall into this category)? There certainly are events where service providers are welcome (I believe @atlsuds is one, and perhaps also the OnStage events, but don’t quote me on that).

I’m not affiliated with SR or MailChimp or any other companies mentioned here.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:48:07 +0000

I’m not sure that I see much theology in the Atlanta Tech scene – in fact, often enough, I find the inner city technology enthusiasts almost against religion. BarCamp is perhaps the best example of this as one of the more identifiable groups was skeptics who found common ground.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:41:13 +0000

This is exactly the concern, but your method would prove to be unenforceable as Startup Riot includes several hours of networking and a networking lunch. If 1/2 of the attendees were telling me about their business plan writing, marketing, patent writing (though this was one sponsor in 2010), or similar services the event would be annoying and not worth my time.

To counter your “knowledge” of the event though, in 2009, part of my lunch group was a developer from Yahoo who came to hear the interesting ideas and made for great conversations about what Yahoo was doing. And while I have a small SaaS private venture, telling people about it opened at least one contract programming opportunity that I wasn’t soliciting. Most of the companies aren’t close to the idea or revenue stage where IBM Consulting would join in – but would be tiny investments for IBM if they really thought the ideas were great.

By: Karen Rands

Karen Rands — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:17:23 +0000

I found your posting from the chatter on twitter. Not quite sure what triggered the commentary regarding technology and theology, because other than a bible study run by Charlie Papparelli, the annual HighTech Ministries Breakfast, and the quarterly Christian Business Lunch and a hodgepodge of other networking groups and job hunt groups, I haven’t seen a lot of criscrossing of business/religion and technology myself. However, I am very familiar with the your other key points about the fragmented startup tech community and the fiefdoms that have been created by startup oriented groups/events with good intentions but incredibly ostracizing outcomes that are either blissfully ignorant because they are basking in their own self created glory or have fallen victim of Bush-syndrome – when ego-itus prevents one from modifying their chosen course of action when faced with valid criticism. I’m guessing you did try to attend Startup Riot and were rejected because of your immediate classification as a service provider, rather than someone who in fact might have a business opportunity to integrate another company’s innovation into your current successful business offerings. I have grown weary of pointing out their inconsistency—Why the ABC Tech Startup journalist cannot attend but the Technlinks editor can? Why the managing director of a local angel group and president of an early stage advisory group cannot attend, but the partners of investment banking firms that always charge big fees when “representing” non-startup companies to the capital markets can attend? Why align with one incubator and one university when there are probably a dozen incubators and university commercialization programs in Georgia? On one hand, credit must be given because at least there is one faction of the startup community in Atlanta that is creating a buzz, just too bad they are too busy standing in a circle, patting themselves on the back to jerk the other way and see all the other startups wanting help and all the other well intentioned people trying to help them, invest in them, ….just doing it steadfastly and quietly.

By: Moushumi Kabir

Moushumi Kabir — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:26:41 +0000

Constant Contact wasn’t traded on NASDAQ overnight, http://3.ly/oUkL, nor was Mashable a huge success from day one. Support from community helped. Same applies for IBM which dates to 1880s and was not a success story instantly – http://3.ly/A42b. I agree target is very important but it helps to be specific and to stand by those rules – if a public event.

Startup economy no doubt needs a boost, but that cannot be gained in a closed and confusing environment. Debate is good for improvements – there is always room for that – it’s not designed to impugn….constructive criticism itself is support, unless of course, organizers feel they are perfect and expect 100% thumb-up. That’s unrealistic. Thanks.

By: Moushumi Kabir

Moushumi Kabir — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:03:50 +0000

see response above re: “knows nothing..”. Thanks.

By: Moushumi Kabir

Moushumi Kabir — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:02:59 +0000

If the message and/or concern is about selling, I would highlight “no solicitation” instead. Thanks for your thoughts.

By: Moushumi Kabir

Moushumi Kabir — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:58:49 +0000

That’s just my point – it’s not clear from the info on the site. Of course, if target audience is “known” or “inner” circle of people and communication is sent privately, then that’s different. My observation is geared towards tech events that are “public”. Good example of inviting while being specific of target audience – http://www.mitcio.com/

By: Lya Sorano

Lya Sorano — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:58:33 +0000

Moving out of the city resulted for me in a distancing from Atlanta’s tech community. What I remember from my TAG membership in particular is a fragmented community, in which individuals were highly supportive of and generous toward each other and the business community at large could not have cared less.

Regarding your observations on religion’s intersection with technology, this is not limited to the technology sector; it permeates all segments of business all over the Southeast. For those of us who did not grow up here and who were brought up in cultures in which religion is a private matter, this is a rather startling phenomenon that, I believe, leads to an impoverishment of ideas, thus restricting vision, development and growth.