The document discusses how startups and technology companies can help reinvigorate downtown areas in American cities. It describes initiatives like New York City's H.E.L.M. program that awarded grants to tech companies willing to locate in Lower Manhattan, helping diversify the local economy after 9/11. Similarly, the New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA) was formed after Hurricane Katrina to promote economic growth through business recruitment and supporting the city's entrepreneurial ecosystem, including incubators and tech events. The document advocates developing industry clusters and increasing capital availability to help local startups grow and ensure cities benefit from the new economy.
1. Techs and the City:
How Startups Can Remake
the American Downtown
Bret Nolan Collazzi
HR&A Advisors
March 2014
2. HR&A Advisors, Inc. Take the HELM | Hire + Expand in Lower Manhattan1
New York | High Line
HR&A Advisors, Inc.
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Nationally | The new economy is driving downtown office growth.
New OrleansNew York CitySan Francisco
4. HR&A Advisors, Inc. Take the HELM | Hire + Expand in Lower Manhattan3
Seattle | Amazon
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5. HR&A Advisors, Inc. Take the HELM | Hire + Expand in Lower Manhattan4
Las Vegas | Zappos
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Detroit | Quicken
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Context | Lower Manhattan in recovery.
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$4MFEDERAL GRANT
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Context | Post-9/11 economy has a different look.
Source: Alliance for Downtown New York
13. HR&A Advisors, Inc. Take the HELM | Hire + Expand in Lower Manhattan12
Take the H.E.L.M. will help attract critical
high-growth industries to the area, and
ensure Lower Manhattan remains a global
center of innovative business activity for
decades.
̶ Seth W. Pinsky, then-President of NYCEDC, in 2012
“
”
Goal| Diversify the Lower Manhattan economy.
14. HR&A Advisors, Inc. Take the HELM | Hire + Expand in Lower Manhattan13
Design | The basics.
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Design | How do we judge applicants?
1. CAPACITY TO BRING THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST
2. ABILITY TO PROMOTE LOWER MANHATTAN
3. OVERALL SUBMISSION QUALITY
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Design | OK, pick a winner.
vs.
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Design | Setting conditions.
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Results | Significant interest and substantial prizes.
600+ applicants
$2.5M+ in prizes
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Results | Significant investment in Lower Manhattan.
1/21/2
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Results | “Showed the door” to Lower Manhattan.
We hadn't seriously considered Lower
Manhattan before we started
applying to H.E.L.M., and we're
thrilled to now have our headquarters
here.
̶ Alexa and James Hirschfeld
Co-founders, Paperless Post
HELM 1.0 Winners
“
”
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Results | Generating buzz and enthusiasm.
SOMETIMES SMART SOMETIMES LUCKY
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Results | New-to-NYC recruitment has been challenging.
H.E.L.M. APPLICANTS, BY ORIGIN
27. Context: Entrepreneurial Assets
• Existing incubators
– NOBIC
– Idea Village
– Launch Pad
– Propeller
• Idea Village & New Orleans
Entrepreneur Week
• NOLA Tech Week
• Hackathons & TechCrunch
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses
26
• Creative Culture
– Quality of Life
– Share of residents with a
Bachelor’s or more grew
by 26% from 2000 to 2011
– New Orleans leads the
USA by 30% in number of
startups‐per‐capita
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Context | Changing priorities.
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Context | Big Tech in NYC is growing.
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Context | Open data has been done.
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Goal | Make the old new again.
EXCITEMENT
INCLUSION
RESULTS
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Design | High-energy events with public exposure.
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Design | Not just apps anymore.
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Design | Introduced BigIdeas.
HOUSING
ENVIRONMENT
JOBS & ECONOMIC
MOBILITY
HEALTH
TRANSPORTATION
ARTS & CULTURE
PARKS & OPEN
SPACE
YOUTH SERVICES
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Results | BigApps is a big test…
Launching April 30
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Takeaways | If I leave you pondering three things, let them be…
CONTEXT COMES FIRST
BUILD IT NOT TO LAST
THINK LIKE A STARTUP
40. Techs and the City:
How Startups Can Remake
the American Downtown
Bret Nolan Collazzi
HR&A Advisors
March 2014