Tech PR | Social Media Advisor | Content Strategist
Since it's opening in December of 2011, Geekdom has received a tremendous amount of local, regional and national media coverage. Here's a summary of what's been covered so far.... thank you Nick Longo for your leadership and making this a very special place to make and create something very new.
I’m a huge fan of author, and social demographer, Richard Florida, whose premise about the rise of the creative class has helped cities around the world shape its economic development policies and long-range planning. The general idea of the creative class is that when you bring together creative types in largely urban cores, economic magic starts to happen.
While Florida’s definition of the creative class is largely based on adults, there’s a new type of creative class that’s bubbling up in downtown San Antonio. When you stand in front of what’s positioned as “San Antonio’s Best Office Address,” The Weston Centre is home to Geekdom,
Having been a community member at Geekdom since it first opened in December of 2011, my first real encounter with the potential of the facility was observing the incoming class of the TechStars Cloud, who had 11 startups and their teams move here for 3 ½ months to bring their startups to life.
When you enter The Weston Centre, you know you’re in a first class office building. The expansive lobby, the piano player who is there to serenade you on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as you take a break for lunch, walk down to the San Antonio River for an afternoon stroll, or run downstairs to Page Barteau’s restaurant for a healthy meal or snack.
You could be in London, New York, or Hong Kong, surrounded by largely well dressed lawyers, bankers, consultants and Texan good old boys with boatloads of oil and gas money.
And then there’s the Geekdom Gang.
We’re the ones in cut-offs or jeans, t-shirts that have either a startup’s logo on it, or some geeky expression or artwork that brings a smile to you as you enter the elevator.
We’re the ones wearing flip-flops, tennis shoes and carrying back-packs full of gizmos, gadgets and toys that have empowered us to be part of the global startup economy.
We may be grown ups, but at heart, we’re still kids, with an insatiable curiosity to learn, make, break, disrupt and monetize. Now that the TechStars Cloud class has graduated, another creative class is starting to at enter Geekdom.
This time, the class are real kids and well, yes, adults, who are taking advantage of 50 (not a misprint) new classes and workshops that are in process and will continue to expand on the 11th floor. I’m finding myself staying late at work to sit in the back of the community room just to sit and observe fresh, new faces that are discovering the magic of the 11th floor at Geekdom as a place to learn, connect and share.
In addition to these creative classes, there’s some plans in the works for a maker shop, multiple unconferneces, and even some Geekdom community projects that will reach out to, and impact parts of downtown San Antonio outside of the Weston Centre.
Keep your eyes on a new type of creative class – or rather classes, that are now underway and continuing to expand in the months to come.
And if you are looking to start something new, or just want to meet what is clearly becoming a central meeting and connecting point for some of San Antonio and South Texas’ brightest minds, come for a visit and consider becoming part of a movement in a class of its own.
If you’re an investor thinking about investing in an early stage startup, and not quite sure what to do, or which company you like, I would like to recommend that you put away your checkbook and make an initial investment of a different type: your time.
Just in time for Fiesta, get your own Geekdom sticker. You too can be king or queen of the world without having to pretend you're royalty.
If you really want to get what the heck is going on at with these companies or what is going on at Geekdom, the best R.O.I. on your money might be something that I call R.O.H.O. – better known as Return on Hanging Out.
Over the last 4 months, I’ve been observing some very compelling companies as they come to life through the TechStars Cloud program that were housed at Geekdom.
While they may be categorized as “tech” companies, the reality of what they are doing has nothing to do with technology in the literal sense, but rather the application and integration of technology to create new forms of products and services that are changing the way we are, or will be doing business in the Cloud. GigaOm's Stacey Higgenbothom really nailed it in her story here highlighting the companies. (Great job, Stacey).
In order to really understand what these companies are doing, you need to spend time with them. And that means hanging out, spending time with the founders, sharing some of your wisdom in business and learning about the disruption and opportunities.
Forget the Companies, Ignore the Technology: You’re Investing in People and Teams
One company may be sexier than the next and the next and the next. But rather than investing in a sexy company, chances are they will pivot (nerdo-speak for change their business model) and even greater chances are they will fail.
So rather than investing in what you think (or what you have been told) is the next best and biggest thing, think about investing in the people you are hoping into techbed with. Even if the company fails, maybe this team could help you build something else, or improve upon something you have your hands in.
I Know The Oil Bidness. I Know The Land Bidness. I Know They Syndication Bidness. But Not The Tech Bidness.
Bidness is, well bidness regardless of what bidness you are in (oh… for the uninformed or the non-Texans reading this post, bidness is Texan for businesses.) And remember, you’re not investing in a technology company, you’re investing in people.
Love those Cavaliers outfits, don't you? Well guess what? At Geekdom, we got a dress code of our own too! Spring fashions are in full swing at The Weston Centre, with cut-offs, company t's, and flip-flops. Far more trendy and a whole lot more comfy wear. Now that's what's really trending at Geekdom.
And if you want to try to figure out just what the heck this potential bidness idea is all about, then get your children and your grandchildren involved. If you’ve supported your kids or if you find them dipping into their trust funds, maybe it’s time to get them involved in one of the startups at Geekdom.
I’ll bet big money your children and your grandchildren are wired, and some of you may have geeky offspring that could serve as your R&D department.
Ditch Your Membership to the San Antonio Country Club and Join Geekdom
Now, while I am not positive on how much it costs to join, let alone maintain a membership at the San Antonio Country Club, I do know one thing: $50 per month gets you a basic community membership and an open desk at Geekdom.
You don't have to come from a good family, and you don't have to had married well to join.
You just have to be nice, passionate about learning and willing to take part in the community.
Let’s assume it’s a minimum (and I mean a minimum) of $15,000 per year to keep you and your loved ones in the good-old-boy-network at the Country Club, and you spend another $10,000 per year on having fun with you buddies in the Texas Cavaliers, or you could take this money and do something much more interesting, and possibly more profitable.
And Geekdom has a free soda machine, plus free beer to members (over 21 ).
But Wait – There’s More: Ditch Your Membership To The Argyle Club As Well, And Really Save Big
Now just to make matters even better, there’s another way to reinvest your money in something that seems like its purpose has run its course in life.
I know it’s nice to have a private dining club, but come on folks – wouldn’t you rather eat great food from a cool food truck and invest the difference in a startup at Geekdom?
I’ve been a guest of some members of the Argyle Club and all I can say is that while it’s certainly a charming place to hang out, eat and be seen, you can get equally good (and really much better food) downstairs at Page Barteau’s restaurant in the Weston Centre and bring your viddles upstairs to the 11th floor where some serious brains are doing the real cook’n around here. Page not only has great food, but she also does fancy catering, and chances are she’s catered for one of your fundraisers or charity events.
Old Money Is Doing New and Cool Things
Everything I am describing here is nothing new.
It’s happening everywhere. Here’s a story in The New York Times entitled Heirs To Old Money Plunge Into Tech. Read it. And share it with your friends. This stuff and this tipping point is real.
Startups As An Asset Class
So what to do? Take stock of where you are financially, where you are in your life, and what’s important.
If you own real estate, stocks, oil, commodities and few other things, consider the legacy you want to leave behind to your family.
Investing in some of these startups may (or may not) work out as your hoped, but like anything, if you diversify and invest in a few assets, much like gold, oil, or gas, there’s bound to be some real gems that are currently being born on the 11th floor at Geekdom.
High Fives to Geekdom-based companies, CallGrader, ZippyKid and SnappTours who swept the Innotech San Antonio Beta Summit placing out as 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners respectively.
You gotta come see us at the 11th Floor of the Weston Centre, certainly the swankiest building in all the land. It's an awesome place, with friendly and really smart people.
The Beta summit is a competition for new media, software, securities and related technology companies to showcase the latest technologies to a qualified audience of decision makers.
Critical Mass and Success at Geekdom: The New Normal
While it’s certainly great to see these wins, there are other amazing things taking place here that tell a story in a much greater context.
Thursday night: a group of high profile investors were here to gain insights from Paul Singh, Partner and Master of the Hustle, of 500 Startups, in advance of next week’s Demo Day for the graduating TechStars Cloud class. While money was certainly discussed, it turned out to be a lesson in the realities of angel investing in what’s become an environment where the founders are on equal (or even greater) with the investors to be. Companies that make it into and graduate out of TechStars process raises the bar even more.
Wednesday night: a group of creative filmmakers and digital media producers were in the community room holding a meeting, bringing together what’s traditionally been a disparate group of individuals needing a place that they can now call home.
Tuesday night: I sat in a group meeting of something like 50 developers who were looking for ways to meet and connect with each other.
I heard multiple stories from people who home-school their children, code from home, and looking for a way to not only get out of the house for a few hours and meet like-minded people.
There were also rumblings of others in the group who had day jobs at San Antonio companies, looking for way to ditch the 9 to 5 (or longer) routine.
My sense was that they were here to see if their instincts were right that maybe it was time to leave, take the leap to self-employment, or at the very least, consider connecting with other programmers
The kingdom of Geekdom is the best place to grow and monetize your brain. And it's tons of fun too! Come join the community and see what blooms.
Yesterday morning, I was having breakfast one of the winners of the Innotech Beta Summit, ZippyKid’s founder, Vid Luther.
It was a conversation not about technology, but his long term of vision of what ZippyKid could become. Seeing he, and his co-winners at Innotech today speaks volumes about something very special that’s incubating on the 11th floor at the Weston Centre in San Antonio.
With the Geekdom community approaching 250 members (and growing) the real winner here is not one individual company, but the collective energy that is beginning to spawn new intellectual and capital wealth.
See related coverage @ Silicon Hills News and San Antonio Express-News.
If you're in San Antonio or a resident at Geekdom / TechStars Cloud without an old school TV, you're welcomed to come to my home tonight to watch this very special show with Graham Weston has he looks back, and looks forward to what's next.
It's called Conversations, starts tonight at 8:00 PM, and some of it was shot at Geekdom.
Reach out to me - alan at weinkrantz dot com for details. Depending on who and how many show up, we can figure out food and beverages. Free WiFi.
Above The Code represents a set of prinicples and methodologies in order to help take your startup to a whole new level. Here's my presentation at TechStars Cloud. Special thanks to Jason Seats for hosting me.
Even as the holidays are approaching, there's no slowing down to what Nick Longo and his team are doing, as they bring Geekdom, the new collaborative workspace in the heart of downtown San Antonio to life.
There is something very special, not only Geekdom itself as a faclity, but the very cool building it's in.
Rooted In Texan Culture
From afar, you can see the tallest and most majestic office building in town - The Weston Centre.
When you mosey into the lobby, there's lots of real Texas art and furniture you're not gonna see in New York City or Silicon Valley. You see motifs of cowboys out on the range, exploring new worlds, creating something special.
Roaming around the building, you see lawyers, bankers, and bidness people.
And then you see the new generation of builders, makers, and creatives on their way up to the 11th floor of Geekdom, with aspirations to do something really new.
Fit For A Geek
When you arrive to the 11th floor of Geekdom, you know you're in very special place. Community members are starting to move in, people are starting to hang out in the hallways, and connecting in new ways.
The furniture, the layout, the open offices, the private offices, the couches, the hot desks, the collaborative workspaces all say one thing: come here and make something happen and do something meaningful.
Into the Cloud
If art precedes life, then the artwork downstairs in the Weston Centre is quite telling of something else coming in January 2012.
Jason Seats and his compadres are bringing in the first class of the TechStars Cloud - the new accelerator that will fund companies who are focused on cloud computing and cloud infrastrcuture.
Yup, only in San Antonio, where sparks will fly.
Come See Us
Aside from being surrounded by really smart people, everyone here is really nice.
So if your travels are bringing you to Texas, come on down to San Antonio and walk the halls and roam the prairie of Geekdom.
You might discover the next big thing, some elements of code you were missing, or just a different way to look at what could be next by tapping into, and collaborating with a collective bunch of brains.
Come meet us, let us take you out for lunch for great Mexican, BarBQue or some down to earth Chicken Fried Steak. You're not gonna find this type of hot / haute cuisine anywhere in Manhattan or the Bay Area.
So don't be a stranger
We're a friendly bunch.
There's TopoChico downstairs, and freeWiFi for you and the kids.
It's all here on the 11th floor over at Geekdom.
All photos by me:)
Yesterday, I had a chance to visit a new and magical place that's just been built out on the 11th floor of a downtown office building in what is now the nation's seventh largest city.
The idea is to bring together the geek community to collaborate, as well as to attract other geeks to consider moving here and do something very meaningful that goes beyond building a new company. Co-located in this magical place is a new venture, based on the existing TechStars model, known as TechStars Cloud.
For TechStars Cloud, things are being ratcheted up a bit, as this is going to be the place on planet earth where a startup that is selected to be part of the class will have a chance to be part of buiding and making new platforms, services and technologies that will power the next buildout of the cloud.
Yesterday afternoon, a group of successful technology entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, service providers like myself, and some of the leadership from companies in the cloud and hosting markets were on hand to greet a group of new entrepreneurs applying for entrance in will become the first class of the newly formed TechStars Cloud.
I met startup entrepreneurs who came to this new place from the UK, Seattle, Toronto, Sacramento, San Francisco, Madison, and Austin.
Each entrepreneur I spoke to, all pretty much told me the same thing: they came here because they wanted to be in the center of the hosting / cloud ecosystem, and felt that by being here, it would increase their chances of meeting other industry thought leaders and hopefully gain acceptance into the TechStars Cloud program.
Drum Roll Please...
In case you have not figured it out, (or hit the links provided) Geekdom is located in San Antonio. While logic would dictate that a place like this should be in Silicon Valley, New York, or Tel Aviv, it makes tons of sense to be clustered in the epicenter of the hosting and cloud ecosystem: Rackspace.
A Legacy Of Innovation
As I walked around inspecting Geekdom, I looked out the window, thinking back on some the great technological innovations which were born in San Antonio.
Though not well known, history documents that the true origins of what became the personal computer were actually born in this very same town. Ditto about the idea of a computer network, the laser printer, video conferencing and a few other really big things that are now a part of our everyday, geekie lives.
Oh, and some pretty smart people like the guy who has contributed more than anyone on the planet to the standard that became WiFi, or this really amazing person who was a core member of the ARPANet design team who built out what would become the Internet as we know it today, live here. I could go on and on about the other innovations and disruptive breakthroughs and people that make this place home, but that might be in another post.
San Antonio?
Yup. I've lived here for 22 years and have had a great and prosperous life doing PR for U.S. and Israeli technology companies that are changing and disrupting he world.
We have everything every other major city has, except it's easier to get around, a home will cost about 1/3 of what it will cost you elsewhere, and our Mexican food reigns supreme. The sun shines here, and even though our summers are pretty toasty, you can chill out citywide. We have cool places to hang out, an arts community, great schools, world class universities, no state income tax, and (without having another way to say it) people are just more real here.
Even way back in 2004, I was profiled in Rich Karlgaard's book, Life 2.0, based on the same premise pointed out on why I lived here by choice. Now, almost eight years later, my premise remains the same: given the ubiquity of broadband, access to an international airport, having a much lower cost of living, and without sounding like a cheerleader for the local Chamber of Commerce, I can pretty much run a global consulting practice, hang out with nice people, and stay grounded.
Go Geekdom. Go!
If yesterday's event was a sneak peak at the future, I recommend you keep Geekdom on your radar.
The official site goes live sometime soon, so meanwhile, start following Jason Seats and Nick Longo who are minding the store.
If you wanna come and visit, or hang out, reach out to Jason and Nick.
They, like the other million or so nice people who live in the neighborhoods around the magical kingdom of Geekdom, will welcome you with open arms, smart minds, and a burning desire to disrupt, build, and make something great.
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