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Alexis Ohanian interviewed after talk at Waterloo

105 points| michaelrlitt | 13 years ago |communitech.ca

38 comments

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philip1209|13 years ago

I organized a talk by Ohanian at my university last week. His talk focused on entrepreneurship, and key points included that innovation can happen outside the valley, and that midwest startups are starving for engineers, so we shouldn't feel like we must flock to the valley to join a startup.

thearsenal|13 years ago

I was at the hub for this discussion. Alexis is an awesome, down to earth guy, and had a lot of valuable wisdom to share on starting a company.

yesimahuman|13 years ago

I've heard SV investors agree it makes sense for companies to stay near a top notch university no matter where it is, in order to hire and retain the best. It's the same talent that SV companies get anyways. Coupled with a lower cost of living and less poaching, it's kind of a win-win.

prostoalex|13 years ago

Most people in Waterloo dream of getting out of Waterloo.

davidcrow|13 years ago

I think a lot of the "startup hubs" are missing the need for a "top notch university". The ~4 year talent turn over and resupply is key, it provides an ongoing top up as talent churns. Does it work in startup hubs that don't have a "top notch technical university"?

dj2stein9|13 years ago

The salaries for technology workers in the Waterloo Region are so horribly depressed compared to other parts of Canada, and the US, that no half decent developer will stay there. If they have half a brain they'll move to San Fran and easily earn 3-4 times more than they can earn in Waterloo.

noirman|13 years ago

I've spent a couple of weeks at Communitech and the energy is absolutely amazing. Everybody was incredibly driven.

If not mistaken, Communitech even claimed that "one new startup comes out from there every day".

rdrimmie|13 years ago

For somewhere around a year now, we've had an average of one new startup registering with our Venture Services Group each day. I am struggling with the correct way to be pedantic about it, it's just the connotation of "comes out" that I want to highlight - the startups registering with us don't necessarily meet any minimum requirements, versus those who graduate from one of the incubation or accelerator programs we run or are associated with.

(I work for Communitech, but not in VSG so my understanding is likely to be only slightly more refined than noirman's, and could have a hole or two)

(edit to add: we're working on fixing the site!)

rocky1138|13 years ago

Being part of Hyperdrive was an amazing experience! But, the work doesn't stop at the end of our three months :) In a way, it's just beginning.

xutopia|13 years ago

Too bad the site is down. Alexis is really an insightful person. He really understands the web.

psycho|13 years ago

It's interesting how Alexis talks about the importance of the possibility to "stay home and do great things" for some people. Well, sounds right but isn't startup a thing that's all about change - including lifestyle? Isn't it possible to have some valuable insights when you leave your comfort zone and go some place you didn't know before? I'd rather advice Silicon Valley guys just try and leave their cozy warm place and go and try to make a startup on Alaska, for example - that's the kind of adventure for startup-guys, not for sissies.

nchlswu|13 years ago

He's commenting more on the fact that SV seems to be the only place for startups to thrive. There's lots of opportunity at "home".

in a way, it's in line with your desire to advise SV guys to leave their cozy warm place. You may feel "safe" going to the valley, but you can (potentially) achieve just as much breaking ground in a different locale.

jesseguild|13 years ago

Great to see Waterloo impressing such a talented dude

leoc|13 years ago

No questions about the Reddit staff's relationship with violentacrez?

xutopia|13 years ago

Pretty sure Alexis Ohanian had left Reddit by the time VA started messing around.