Miles recently wrote a post on the Indy Hackers Blog appropriately titled, Why Indy? In the post (http://blog.indyhackers.org/post/7262445527/why-indy) Miles (along with several other hoosiers) enumerates the various great things about why a developer/business might want to live in/stay in/come to Indiana. Having spent 10 of my 31 years in Indiana (4 in West Lafayette, 6 in Indianapolis) I definitely think of myself as a hoosier but despite that I moved to NYC in May. I am in the defector group, but maybe not in the dissenter group.
While I was in Indianapolis I held leadership roles at 3 different startups including ChaCha and Compendium, witnessed a very successful exit at one of my startups (3GUpload.com in 2004), and consulted for a half-dozen other various companies. That is to say, I think I have a pretty good feeling for what Indy has to offer in terms of work. Additionally, I participated in a variety of volunteer organizations (Big Brothers Big Sisters, Leukemia/Lymphoma society, ADA, etc) as well as in a variety of sports. I like to think in addition to being active in the startup community, I was active in the community at large.
Despite seeing and being a part of many of the great things in Indianapolis, I still opted in May to move from my home of 10 years. My decision to move wasn't based on lack of opportunity or some dislike of Indy. Indy is genuinely a great city to live in. My decision to move was based primarily on two things. First, I have family around NYC so that made it a no brainer. Second, the startup culture in Indianapolis didn't suit me.
Having worked on both coasts at startups, the environment is simply radically different from what's available in Indianapolis. That being said, I'll point out two companies I've worked with that I think clearly get it. DeveloperTown and Fastest Forward. I'm not intentionally leaving any companies out, just highlighting two companies that I think really get it. Find the best possible talent, learning should be a key part of the work experience, don't be afraid to invent, don't be afraid to take risks. These are some of the qualities I admire in those companies. These are some of the qualities that I see shared with startups on the coast.
The startups I've been involved with in the midwest, while managed by hugely capable people, in general shared a big company feeling. Top down management, org charts, silos, "billion dollar company", etc. The startups I've been involved with on the coasts, in contrast, are collaborative (and flat, org wise) in a way that's hard to imagine unless you've seen it. The emphasis is on building the best possible product and if you fail, try again.
In Indianapolis the pool for venture capital is relatively small, so most companies seek funding from companies outside the area. Most of these VC firms are nervous investing in midwest startups (I've been through 3+ funding events in Indy) and all of them specifically ask about talent/hiring. We all (in the midwest) talk around it but know, hiring is a huge issue. That being said, hiring is a huge issue everywhere and for everyone. The point here is, in Indianapolis the investment opportunities simply aren't the same as on the coasts, and that seems to be a large reason why many entrepreneurs in Indianapolis are so atychiphobic.
Successful exits breed new startups. Indy doesn't have enough successful exits (yet) to foster the growth seen in other areas. The 21st Century Fund is still too restrictive to be effective to help with this, so it's going to take startup incubators (like DeveloperTown, although they probably wouldn't call themselves such) to get startups out the door more quickly. More startups, more exits, more money, repeat. This takes time, and Indy is just early on in that process.
Long story short. Indy is a great city, the startup community is still growing, it's still several years from being able to attract the best people, but it's headed in the right direction. It retains most of its best people because those people have family and roots in the area. I plan on coming back (not that I think I'm a great talent) when I have kids because I have good friends there and love the area, ie I have some roots. What draws in other people?
