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Seattle Startup Ecosystem Dave Parker
@DaveParkerSEA
www.dkparker.com/blog
Posted on Slideshare, LinkedIn & DKParker.com
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Agenda
About Dave Ecosystems Seattle Overview What to avoid How to Start Q&A – Your questions
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Welcome Everyone!
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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
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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
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Seattle Ecosystem
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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
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Events
Expensive Events aren’t Startup Events Startup Week – October annually Meetups - Monthly Startup Weekend/Hackathons Ignite Others
LMGTFY
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Resources
Community Calendars GeekWire Startup Seattle
Newsletters Startup Digest
Groups WTIA – tends to established to large enterprises Check their motives – follow the cash
LMGTFY
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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
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Your need for Capital your ability to raise Capital. Get ready first!
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Programs
Paid UW Entrepreneurship
Program
Seattle University
Founder Institute – entrepreneur training
Funded Techstars
Fledge – Impact investment, you need to crowd fund your participation
LMGTFY
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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
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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
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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
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Regional Markets
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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)
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How to Plug into the Ecosystem
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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)!
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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?
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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
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What Not To Do
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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
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Embracing Failure
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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
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Do Great Things – Invest in the Community!
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Q&A – Your Questions
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[email protected] www.dkparker.com @DaveParkerSEA
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