This summer has exposed me to a whole new aspect of the work world that I never knew about before: startups.
Although Silicon Valley is still the hot spot for startup companies, a growing number of entrepreneurs are taking their ideas to New York City to get things rolling. Silicon Valley has been huge since the dawn of computers, with companies like Intel, HP, Cisco, and Oracle hosting their world headquarters in the area. However, many of these companies are based around the high-tech computing world. With trends shifting toward cloud-based computing and web-based social media applications, companies don’t need to invent new hardware or a new tech product to be successful. Developing a niche iPhone app or useful website can gain your millions of users in just a few months.
Of course, there are startups like Twitter and Airbnb with their roots in San Francisco — but no longer is necessary to base your company on the west coast. Today, all you need is a good idea, a friend to code your website, and the right marketing technique. With that, you can turn a lofty thought into a functional web platform, and then prove to users that it will make their lives easier or more entertaining.
New York City is bursting with entrepreneurs and idealists who want to be a part of “the next big thing”. One thing this city teaches you about starting a company is that you have to work your ass off. With living expenses and competition so high, there’s no time to dawdle with an idea or only give it 50% of your time. The stress makes things more difficult (less space, less funding, fewer resources), but it pressures companies to go big or go home.
Resources in New York are growing, though. The scarcest of which is still web developers. Computer programmers and website coders are worth a pretty penny in the city, because there so few of them to spread amongst the growing number of startups. Part of the reason Mayor Bloomberg is pushing for a college tech campus in NYC is to encourage the growth of the city’s startup world through education in developing fields.
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After working for a few months at a web-based startup in NYC, I’ve gained confidence and interest in starting something of my own. Two fellow 2011 Cornellians and I have been tossing around our own idea for a startup these past few weeks. I know it’s not an easy task, but I think our idea has the possibility of gaining some traction. There are certainly a lot of support networks out there, even just through alumni connections or the Entrepreneurship@Cornell network. Even with the support, we’ll need a realistic but ambitious attitude to make something happen.
This summer has exposed me to a whole new aspect of the work world that I never knew about before: startups.
Although Silicon Valley is still the hot spot for startup companies, a growing number of entrepreneurs are taking their ideas to New York City to get things rolling. Silicon Valley has been huge since the dawn of computers, with companies like Intel, HP, Cisco, and Oracle hosting their world headquarters in the area. However, many of these companies are based around the high-tech computing world. With trends shifting toward cloud-based computing and web-based social media applications, companies don’t need to invent new hardware or a new tech product to be successful. Developing a niche iPhone app or useful website can gain your millions of users in just a few months.
Of course, there are startups like Twitter and Airbnb with their roots in San Francisco — but no longer is necessary to base your company on the west coast. Today, all you need is a good idea, a friend to code your website, and the right marketing technique. With that, you can turn a lofty thought into a functional web platform, and then prove to users that it will make their lives easier or more entertaining.
In 2009, the Internet Sector dominated Venture Capital Investments in NYC
New York City is bursting with entrepreneurs and idealists who want to be a part of “the next big thing”. One thing this city teaches you about starting a company is that you have to work your ass off. With living expenses and competition so high, there’s no time to dawdle with an idea or only give it 50% of your time. The stress makes things more difficult (less space, less funding, fewer resources), but it pressures companies to go big or go home.
Resources in New York are growing, though. The scarcest of which is still web developers. Computer programmers and website coders are worth a pretty penny in the city, because there are so few of them to spread amongst the growing number of startups. Part of the reason Mayor Bloomberg is pushing for a college tech campus in NYC is to encourage the growth of the city’s startup world through education in developing fields.
–
After working for a few months at a web-based startup in NYC, I’ve gained confidence and interest in starting something of my own. Two fellow 2011 Cornellians and I have been tossing around our own idea for a startup these past few weeks. I know it’s not an easy task, but I think our idea has the possibility of gaining some traction. There are certainly a lot of support networks out there, even just through alumni connections or the Entrepreneurship@Cornell network. Even with the support, we’ll need an ambitious but realistic attitude to make something happen.
