Beyond Tax Incentives: Governments and Startup Ecosystems

The buzz: “A company shouldn’t get addicted to being shiny, because shiny doesn’t last” [Jeff Bezos]. New U.S. businesses make up nearly all net-new job creation and 20% of gross job creation, with loud hype about emerging startup ecosystems and government support. Reality check: governments pour millions into “hip” facilities and government venture funds invest in “best local”, regardless of product-market fit. Stop! Successful startups are built through careful iteration and a laser-like focus on customers, not big-splash. The experts speak. Colleen Hardwick, PlaceSpeak: “If I’d asked people what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse” (H. Ford). Dave Katona, SAP: “The country needs and, unless I mistake its temper, the country demands bold, persistent experimentation ... common sense to take a method and try it: If it fails, admit it frankly and try another … above all, try something” (F.D. Roosevelt). Join us for Beyond Tax Incentives: Governments and Startup Ecosystems.