Quick – Name the East Coast “Tech Mecca”?

October 28th, 2009 categories: Charlotte Lifestyle, Charlotte Real Estate & More

Not so easy is it? DC? New York? Orlando? New England tried, Richmond? OK maybe Raleigh’s the closet thing but then you don’t think of Raleigh as a hotbed for iconoclastic techies with start up ambitions – you think Nortel (they still around?), SmithKlineblahblahblah. No I’m talking more about a thriving entrepreneurial community where people ride bikes to work and play ping pong and vintage pinball all day – they don’t really but you get the picture. (and of course better snacks)

I was reading Neal Peirces’ column about Barcelcona’s transformation from rusting industrial shell to an “entrepreneurial city” based on technology and the “knowledge economy” – I thought hey nobody’s doing this on the east coast (YET!!!) why not Charlotte read Peirce’s Washington Post column here

So here’s the thing I think Charlotte could and should be the East Coast “TechMecca” did I just coin a phrase? – I think I did! I like that but no matter what we label it I think there is a huge opportunity (JOBS) for an east coast city to grab this distinction – right now- before its too late! We have a lot of things already in place:

• Charlotte is a leader in motorsports / high tech automotive development – wind tunnels etc
• Between Charlotte- Murdoch Research Institute-Raleigh we’re part of a distinct tech region
• BMW is here, NASCAR, Google and Apple are nearby too
• Our great hospital system will rely heavily on new tech innovations
• Our textile heritage could fire up nano and specialty fibers/fabrics
• We have UNCC and their business incubator facilities
• BIG and other entrepreneurial groups
• our oft maligned school system is just waiting (and will rise) to feed into a community vision like this
• We also have a thriving and astute social media / web community – we could (maybe we already do) lead here

and that’s just what I can think of off the top of my head….

We can do this! We’re big enough to take this on and we’re stable enough (lucky) that we can build on what we have – all we need is a plan, a vision and a collective zeal like that put forth by cities to host the Olympic Games! Charlotte is a happening place with a great circulation of new people we need something to get behind something like an Olympic bid – except in this case it would be a drive for something lasting (JOBS) unlike the fleeting  3 week glory of the Olympic games! And of course don’t forget better snacks!

Spoken by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: 1 Comment »