Which Coast is Your Culture Fit?
Earlier this year, Andy Miller, Entrepreneur.com contributor and chief innovation architect at Constant Contact wrote that “the top 20 U.S. cities for tech venture capital funding were most likely to be in a coastal city.” From California’s Silicon Valley to New York City’s Silicon Alley, the tech startup scenes on this nation’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts are booming, creating jobs, reinventing whole industries, and changing the way that we live and interact with each other and our surroundings. But which of the two coasts provides the best environment for fledgling tech firms? And which one is best for you? Let’s compare the culture, pros and cons to help you identify your coastal cultural fit.
East Coast
Established Industry:
As early as the 1700s, Boston’s trading ports were driving commerce, and the New York Stock Exchange was ratified. At the turn of the 19th Century, “tech behemoths AT&T and General Electric” made the east coast home. With centuries of experience, east coast businesses are well versed in industry best practices and various ways to generate revenue, and newcomers will be tested to learn quickly at risk of going out of business.
Show, Don’t Tell.
While it would be wrong to assert that the Northeast’s tech firms are all business all the time, conventional wisdom says that east coast businesses are more likely to be driven by the bottom line than flashy, fun ideas.
B2B Business is Always Booming
With all of the established companies in the city, there is a huge opportunity for tech firms that focus improving the infrastructure or efficacy of existing systems or businesses. If your company specializes in creating apps for others, you may fare well on the east.
West Coast
How the West Was Young
According to a recent SFGate.com article, most fast-growing industries tend to skew young. But that doesn’t mean that the tech companies are driven by co-eds. Y Combinator President, Sam Altman, 28, told SFGate that most of the people he funds are older than he is.
Tech’s Gold Rush
These days, angel investors drive tech funding. And it seems they’ve got their eyes on California. The Golden State takes home 49% of all startup tech funding in the country allowing west coast startups to sidestep the process of having to get funding from established banks or investment firms.
Consumer-Centric Startups Thrive
Unlike startups in the east that focus on building apps and tools for various businesses, west coast startups tend to be consumer-oriented (think Uber and Facebook). If your product is designed to help individuals communicate, schedule events, or catch a ride, the Pacific coast could be the place for you.
So, which coast is better for your budding tech business? We couldn’t choose. so many unique wonderful advantages of working on either coast, we think it’s up to you to decide. Tell us which coast you like better for tech in the comments below.