5 realizations from our adventures at South by Southwest with Amplify Philly
By Yuval Yarden, Executive Director, Philly Startup Leaders
The 250 member Amplify Philly delegation has returned from our second annual trip to the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival in Austin, Texas. Promoting the Philadelphia startup community and our creative class on a national stage has been a great collaborative effort. It has been an honor to co-lead the initiative together with Dave Silver. SXSW has provided us with an unmatchable opportunity to raise the city’s profile. I brought back some souvenirs from our adventures. Here are 5 realizations worth sharing:
1. Competition and Collaboration
While succeeding in business is about getting to market and beating competitors on pricing, services and quality, building a community is about collaboration — working together to achieve the same goals. Members of our community really care about and support each other’s successes. This is how outsiders see us, and it can be a very attractive alternative for someone struggling in the competitive scene of a large startup city. One of the first things people commented on after visiting the Philly aisle at SXSW was the strong sense of community among the startups. Let’s recognize how unique that spirit is and how lucky we are to embody it in our work and in our personal relationships.
2. We have the same issues as every other city.
The obstacles startup cities need to overcome are similar across the country. The challenges are difficult, but that’s life. We can’t blame our city. We don’t need excuses. We need successes. We have less investment capital than some cities and more than others, but our advantage is in human capital. With dedicated people who are willing to work smart and work together, we can draw the investment dollars from local sources and from out of town.
3. We just have to put the puzzle together
We have all the right pieces: dedicated founders, enthusiastic talent, a very large student population at several top universities, world-renowned research centers, 12 fortune 500 companies, big ideas, and the support of an entire community. Philly has all the necessary components of a world-class startup community, and we are learning to assemble them into a dream machine.
4. Philly is known as a B2B City
True. Much of our success is best known within the business community. So, let’s promote our consumer products, attract more B2C, and support them in our ecosystem. If we have trouble answering the question: “What startups would I know that are coming out of Philly?” then that’s our project for this year. We’re up to the challenge.
5. There is no great honor in being a hidden gem
If I say “Philly” — you say… ‘Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and Ben Franklin.’ Or maybe… ‘cheesesteaks, Rocky steps, and rowdy sports fans.’ Ok, fine, but when news outlets are discussing rising tech ecosystems, they mention Des Moines, Kansas City and Portland. And that means we have a challenge to overcome. Take a look at what those cities spent on their presence at national conferences and national press. You’ll see a clear explanation for what’s going on. We do a good job telling our story to each other, so let’s get our story out of our echo chamber and into the national press. Much more can be done to gain the attention Philly deserves.
I love Philadelphia. I love our community, culture, people, potential, and I am excited about our future. We are on a path to success in tech and innovation, and I am proud to consider myself a part of this journey for the long haul. Honestly, when you say “Philly,” I say “arts & culture, food, walkability, cutting edge research and start-ups.” Let’s do what we can to get more people saying that.
To learn more about Amplify Philly visit our website, Amplifyphilly.com and watch our 2017 recap video.
