Alright, what's next? • 4x Founder, 2x CEO, former Austin city commissioner, people-person, friend, systems design nerd, policy junkie, watch enthusiast, amateur guitar player, dog dad
I spent last week at Philly Tech Week talking tech and ecosystems with old friends and new friends from all over the country. A huge thank you to Danae Mobley and 1Philadelphia, and Christopher Wink and Technical.ly, for inviting Blue Sky Partners out. I didn't get nearly enough time in the city, so I'm definitely going to figure out how to get back out ASAP. Here are a few of my takeaways: 1. The era of cheap money is over (for now): Startups are starting to function more like "small businesses" than they did when interest rates were super low and money flowed easily out of VC funds and banks. Startups are obviously still looking for funding and need it, but they are looking for paying customers in a way that I don't think was top of mind in the first 20 years of this new century we're living in. Some startups are still going to require a lot of startup funding to get off the ground, but there's a possibility for more sustainable businesses to come out of this era we're in. 2. Government and community-based organizations have the opportunity to be "funders of first resort" instead of funders of last resort: ARPA and other government funds are working to fill the gap in regions all across the country as private funds rework themselves inside a new environment. These organizations, including city, county, and state governments, have the opportunity to really think critically about how to fund projects in a way that will set up more sustainable and equitable ecosystems now and in to the future. These ecosystems are being designed in a way that thinks about how to grow these regions from the middle and bottom out, with an emphasis on healthy business practices and competition, arts, culture, and infrastructure. That's exciting. 3. I love people: There are great people all across the country working on really nitty-gritty (had to get a Gritty in here) challenges in their communities. They are doing the work to build communities and solutions to problems that have dogged ecosystems for decades, and I was so excited to learn from folks on the ground in places like Baltimore, Delaware, Philadelphia, Arlington, Chattanooga and elsewhere. There's some really innovative stuff happening around the country. 4. I ate three Philly cheesesteaks in two days: ask me anything.
Danae Mobley
2mo
Thanks so much for joining us Nathan Ryan! Looking forward to connecting soon
James Campbell
2mo
Great meeting you Nathan Ryan!
Michael Valocchi
2mo
I am glad that you enjoyed my hometown. Philadelphia is sometimes a well kept secret. These are great observations. While there may be some short-term pains in some of these shifts, it will make businesses more sustainable in the longterm.
Laura Lorek
2mo
Silicon Hills News is like Technically for the Austin-San Antonio community!
Danya Henninger
2mo
The first two are really well said — tagging Technical.ly editors Katie Malone and Sameer Rao so we can keep this framing in mind as we continue to cover. But on No. 4: I know Pat's was one of them. Where were the other two??
Madeleine S.
2mo
So great to meet you! There is a lot of good work being done and glad that Technically is creating spaces and talking more about this critical behind the scenes work. Talk soon!
Carol O.
2mo
Yes, keep coming back to Philly! We have a great thing going on here. Hats off to 1Philadelphia for their role in making good things happen such as #PhillyTechWeek.
Jake Voorhees
2mo
Your panel was great!!
3/4 are great takeaways. We loved having Austin, Birmingham and Bmore perspectives in the Town Hall.