Google Tech Hub in Detroit

[p1acebo]

Anyone see this yet? I thought it was interesting... perhaps some national recognition to Detroit taking real steps to becoming a technological hub.

http://www.freep.com/article/2013093...google-gilbert

[michimoby]

Well, we know that Wattrick's not all too impressed.

http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/artic...t#.UkuJJWTF1vY

[Chicago48]

http://www.freep.com/article/2013093...google-gilbert

Anyone see this yet? I thought it was interesting... prehaps some national recognition to Detroit taking real steps to becoming a technologic hub.

I hate to break this to you, but Google has a little hub in almost every major city, from the east coast to the west coast. Nothing big around this.

[mwilbert]

I hate to break this to you, but Google has a little hub in almost every major city, from the east coast to the west coast. Nothing big around this.

Google has a presence in many cities. This is a different thing, in a small number of cities.

http://www.google.com/entrepreneurs/...tech-hubs.html

And it kind of doesn't matter exactly what it that Google provides; the key here is providing a distinguishable point in metropolitan Detroit that new tech companies can cluster around. You want these activities to be concentrated, not diffuse, so reinforcing the idea that the Madison block is the place to be is potentially quite important.

Is it some kind of massively transformational moment? No, but it is a step in the right direction.

[michimoby]

Is it some kind of massively transformational moment? No, but it is a step in the right direction.

I like what you're saying here. It's a positive step, but it's not transformational.

And I think that strikes at the very core of why some folks, like Wattrick, are a bit exasperated with the whole distorted reality emanating from the M@dison. The truth is that this is going to create, at best, a few additional jobs and a few extra bucks in revenues across small businesses, but the soundbytes emerging from this, and any other new step, make it seem like one of DVP's portfolio companies just got acquired for a few billion. It feels a bit elitist and fabricated.

[rjlj]

I feel that the news that Google has identified Detroit asan emerging tech hub is huge news. Ittells the world that we have tech businesses and are becoming more diverse thanjust Automotive.
The announcement means that Google is here to support theexisting tech firms so they can grow and can also help grow new firms. Yes, Google is located in a lot of citiesacross the U.S. those locations serve different purposes.
Are you so use to empty buildings along Woodward that youare blind to the transformation that is happening? These properties were vacant just 1 year andare now alive.
1500 Woodward
1520 Woodward
1528 Woodward
Commercial space in the Broderick
Madison building

Would you rather the press release state: “Google partners with a network of seven techhubs in North America [[initially in U.S. and Canada) to deepen our communityties in locations including Minneapolis, Chicago, Waterloo, Nashville, Durham,Denver and Cleveland.

[p1acebo]

I hate to break this to you, but Google has a little hub in almost every major city, from the east coast to the west coast. Nothing big around this.

Hate to break what to me? If Google has little hubs in most major cities and Detroit now joins that group what's not to like?

I think it is positive news [[even if it is a small step), no matter how you try to spin it negatively.

[canuck]

I think what can become "transformative" about this is the attractiveness of downtown to high-tech companies in the region to cluster around this hub. This follows the logic of Gilbert's companies attracting service providers that are gathering around his office hubs. Also, I question the myth that Detroit is entirely unidimensional in its industrial makeup.

[stasu1213]

I think that Google Tech Hub is a good fit for the area. I am glad that we are having one in Downtown Detroit. Chicago48 had said that its not a big deal being that other cities across the country have it. It is a big deal for Detroit for this is a good sign that downtown is finally making a comeback. Not the way is was before Hudson had closed 30 years ago; but a new downtown. The clothing retailers district may be more in the Midtown area instead of being clustered in the downtown area. I am still looking forward to an announcement that City Target will open in the downtown or New Center One building in the midtown area

[michimoby]

I think that Google Tech Hub is a good fit for the area. I am glad that we are having one in Downtown Detroit. Chicago48 had said that its not a big deal being that other cities across the country have it. It is a big deal for Detroit for this is a good sign that downtown is finally making a comeback. Not the way is was before Hudson had closed 30 years ago; but a new downtown. The clothing retailers district may be more in the Midtown area instead of being clustered in the downtown area. I am still looking forward to an announcement that City Target will open in the downtown or New Center One building in the midtown area

I wouldn't necessarily say that it's suggesting Detroit is making a comeback. I don't really read into this announcement and make that claim; other projects are suggesting such things.

I mean, look at some of the other cities that are on the list: for one, Waterloo is categorically screwed now that Blackberry is on the downward spiral. But the others are essentially in a similar boat: they're all having an extremely difficult time finding and retaining tech talent, and Google has crafty plans to set up shop in each and market themselves as a "champion of the other guys".

In some sense, I kind of find it a little bit...babysitter-like. Google's almost saying to each of these hubs "hey, you're not like Boston, SF and NYC that can basically churn things out on their own. You need our help." In that regard, that should indicate that Detroit is definitely growing and making a change -- by finally accepting that they need outside help to make it a future destination for technology talent. That's a huge shift in mindset, especially since five months ago, you had local CEOs basically saying that Silicon Valley was a comparatively bad place to launch a startup: [[http://www.inc.com/francesca-fenzi/r...com+Headlines))

[corktownyuppie]

Agreed. Remember to consider the audience. Is Detroit making a comeback? It depends on your audience.

If you are a 52-year-old assembly line worker, the answer is probably no.
If you are a graduate school professor at Wayne, the answer is probably yes.

Remember that Inc [[and Google, for that matter) are speaking to a national audience. The general perception outside of the state [[and certainly also within much of the state) is that Detroit has entered a spiraling black hole that will only get worse and never, ever, ever get better. So it's appropriate for Google to make an announcement that questions their perceptions, because it doesn't jive with facts.

But should people working at DVP startups see Google's announcement as some kind of premonition telling them that their current project is just moments away from getting major funding? No, that would be delusional.

For those of us who have been following downtown development, I'd bet the Google announcement only goes on to reinforce that progress is being made and that we are starting to turn heads.

For outsiders who have only been hearing doom and gloom, it is probably waking them up and bringing their attention to opportunities which didn't exist.

And for people who think that Google's "annointment" has suddenly turned us into the next Silicon Valley, I'd say they are probably mistaken. What will turn us into the next Silicon Valley is for a few high-profile ideas to attract major capital and then get bought for 7-8 figures.

[michimoby]

What will turn us into the next Silicon Valley is for a few high-profile ideas to attract major capital and then get bought for 7-8 figures.

That'll put Detroit on the short list with NYC, Chicago, LA, Ann Arbor, Cambridge, Toronto, Vancouver, Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Austin, and a host of European cities.

First thing that needs to happen in order to attain momentum: startups within the M@dison should be a) finding office space within Detroit outside the building due to their team expansion [[a la Detroit Labs) AND a firm other than DVP or Ludlow is the lead investor on a Series A. Up until then, these are just Gilbert's playthings.

Now, make it a nine or ten figure acquisition, and they're getting funding/advisors from folks like Union Square, Andreessen Horowitz, Google Ventures, Menlo, DFJ Gotham, and Bizdom companies are getting a handful of invites to join TechStars, Y Combinator, 500 Startups...and we're talking turkey.

[corktownyuppie]

...and we're talking turkey.

Gobble Gobble, Mothafu**er will be our new tagline.

[stasu1213]

I wouldn't necessarily say that it's suggesting Detroit is making a comeback. I don't really read into this announcement and make that claim; other projects are suggesting such things.

I mean, look at some of the other cities that are on the list: for one, Waterloo is categorically screwed now that Blackberry is on the downward spiral. But the others are essentially in a similar boat: they're all having an extremely difficult time finding and retaining tech talent, and Google has crafty plans to set up shop in each and market themselves as a "champion of the other guys".

In some sense, I kind of find it a little bit...babysitter-like. Google's almost saying to each of these hubs "hey, you're not like Boston, SF and NYC that can basically churn things out on their own. You need our help." In that regard, that should indicate that Detroit is definitely growing and making a change -- by finally accepting that they need outside help to make it a future destination for technology talent. That's a huge shift in mindset, especially since five months ago, you had local CEOs basically saying that Silicon Valley was a comparatively bad place to launch a startup: [[http://www.inc.com/francesca-fenzi/r...com+Headlines))

Detroit is making a comeback in a way that people are at least taking interest in set up smaller shops in Detroit. To the unemployed no the city is going down to tube. To potential investors and forecasters yes it is on the upswing. This is not going to be a one horse town any longer. I am glad that the storefronts along woodward are filling up little by little. I know that a total comeback is having safe unblighted neighborhoods with employed residents living in them.

[canuck]

For outsiders who have only been hearing doom and gloom, it is probably waking them up and bringing their attention to opportunities which didn't exist.

And for people who think that Google's "annointment" has suddenly turned us into the next Silicon Valley, I'd say they are probably mistaken. What will turn us into the next Silicon Valley is for a few high-profile ideas to attract major capital and then get bought for 7-8 figures.

It is entirely plausible that some brainy individuals from universities in the metro area will be encouraged to grow ideas and businesses under the umbrella of Google's presence. Google itself came about with help from such fostering as most tech companies in Silicon Valley.