The startup community has really boomed in Pittsburgh these last few years. With the surge of tech startups, accelerators and talented graduates from surrounding universities, Pittsburgh has been a great place to start a business. Some of the surrounding cities in the Rust Belt could become more entrepreneur-friendly too with a few tips. Nick Sinatra highlights a few of these in a recent Entrepreneur article saying,
- Cities need to support innovation. How?
"In order to attract entrepreneurs and businesses, it’s critical to cultivate an environment that welcomes innovation. The best formula for this is a private sector-led initiative that is supplemented with government support."2. Your location matters. Why?
"To some, the typical images we associate with Rust Belt cities may look somber at first glance, but vacant industrial buildings with great bones and interesting architectural histories offer an extraordinary opportunity for restoration and rebuilding. Creating new and unique spaces that reflect the emerging community gives these cities more leverage to retain a skilled workforce, which entices employees to stick around."3. Find your niche. What industry makes your city special?
"City officials can look to partner with local, entrepreneurial real estate companies to work on more outside-the-box projects."
For instance, Pittsburgh was known as the steel city. Now, it is getting noticed for its technology startups and innovations. Sinatra says,
"Clean energy, health care and consumer Internet services are just three sectors that cities can explore, but remember that pivoting is not a simple process. Elected officials must capitalize on their city’s unique existing strengths and make conscious legislative decisions to attract the industry that they're looking to build. Universities should reinforce this emphasis on a particular sector by offering relevant degrees and coursework. Publicity is also key, so that outsiders are aware of progress being made."Read more
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