Seattle's Startup Ecosystem - UW CoMotion ‘FUNdamentals for Startups’

Copyright DKParker, LLC 2015

Seattle Startup Ecosystem Dave Parker

@DaveParkerSEA

www.dkparker.com/blog

[email protected]

Posted on Slideshare, LinkedIn & DKParker.com

http://www.dkparker.com/blog

mailto:[email protected]


Agenda

About Dave Ecosystems Seattle Overview What to avoid How to Start Q&A – Your questions


Welcome Everyone!


Ecosystem Overview

5 Ingredients White Paper

1. Talent

2. Density

3. Culture

4. Capital

5. Regulatory Environment

Other Resources

Startup Champions Network

No one owns the Community

mailto:http://www.techstars.com/content/community/white-paper-announcing-5-ingredients-fostering-thriving-startup-ecosystem/


Startup Communities

Brad Feld’s Startup Community Book (SlideShare) Boulder Thesis

Entrepreneurs Lead Long Term Commitment Inclusive of all that want to participate Continual Activities/Events

Leaders and Feeders

mailto:http://www.slideshare.net/Mercyset/start-up-communities


Seattle Ecosystem


Feeders

Government – support, but don’t lead Universities – smart young people Investors - Angels and VC – follow talent Mentors – help, but no (minimal) economic reward Professional Services

Legal, Accounting – real professions

Large Companies


Events

Expensive Events aren’t Startup Events Startup Week – October annually Meetups - Monthly Startup Weekend/Hackathons Ignite Others

LMGTFY

mailto:https://lmgtfy.com/


Resources

Community Calendars GeekWire Startup Seattle

Newsletters Startup Digest

Groups WTIA – tends to established to large enterprises Check their motives – follow the cash

LMGTFY

mailto:http://startupseattle.com/



Physical Resources

Co-Working space Know the DNA of the space – e.g. solopreneurs, teams,

university, consultants Startup Hall, Impact Hub, SURF, WeWork, Galvanize,

ThinkSpace, extraSlice

Makers Spaces Verticals – Cambria Grove

LMGTFY



Your need for Capital your ability to raise Capital. Get ready first!


Programs

Paid UW Entrepreneurship

Program

Seattle University

Founder Institute – entrepreneur training

Funded Techstars

Fledge – Impact investment, you need to crowd fund your participation

LMGTFY



Investors

Angel Groups – will complete the round of funding, seldom lead Alliance of Angels

events Angels Pitches and

Beer Meetup Puget Sound Venture

Club Don’t pay to present

Early Venture Capital Founders Co-op Seven Peaks FlyingFish

Venture Madrona Voyager Ignition Mavron

There are always disproportionate gaps in all markets between the need for capital and availability – get over it!

LMGTFY

mailto:https://www.allianceofangels.com/

mailto:https://www.meetup.com/Startups-meet-Angels/events/219576504/



Introductions Matter

Invest in your network Accomplish something – customer traction Your need for Capital your ability to raise Capital Get a clear ask Utilize your new network to get introduction


Avoiding the Leeches Blog

mailto:Blog


People to Avoid

Never Sponsors – sell their services at events Wantrepreneurs – always working on something, never

launching anything Startup Groupies – just here for the free food – You

know who you are! Fundraisers and Introducers - will introduce you to

investors for a fee – RUN AWAY – SEC rules prohibit fundraising for a fee if not a real banker


Regional Markets


Cascadia & Washington State

What does the next generation of Ecosystem look like? Eastside continues to have a lack of “B Class” office

space to facilitate startups with flexible low cost options Eastside co-working? Eastside vs. Westside tech stacks

Rest of Washington? Impact of Education

Cascadia – Vancouver BC to Portland (Bend)


How to Plug into the Ecosystem


How to Start

#GiveFirst – Techstars hashtag Before you ever leverage the Community,

you need to contribute to the Community

Build Relationships More than networking How do you help other people first

Volunteer – registration desk, marketing support

Everyone is special (not just you)!


What To Do

Have an Agenda – Wait, doesn’t this conflict with #GiveFirst? No, start your agenda with how to GiveFirst

Everyone knows you have an agenda, that’s OK – Just know your agenda Product feedback Connections

Did you interaction add value to the people you met?


Value Proposition

Who are you? What’s memorable?

What are you looking for? Co-Founder, marketer, etc.

Share, share, share you idea! No one is going to steal it – ideas die from lack of

exposure not over exposure

Be clear, with a message that can be repeated


What Not To Do


Ready?

We want to help, but we won’t do your work for you Two Paragraph LinkedIn method Your ask is proportionate to your relationship – don’t

ask me for investor introduction until I’ve seen you actually accomplish something.

Time is our most valuable resource, I promise I won't waste yours.

Gary Rubens, Email Signature


Embracing Failure


Why?

If we continue to mentor the community, leaders will emerge that will mentor and invest in the community.Invest 10% of your exit back into the local ecosystem + your time = Great Returns


Do Great Things – Invest in the Community!


Q&A – Your Questions


[email protected] www.dkparker.com @DaveParkerSEA

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.dkparker.com/

Seattle's Startup Ecosystem - UW CoMotion ‘FUNdamentals for Startups’

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