What does it take to build a startup environment in your city? Entrepreneur.com put out an article that discusses seven different mayors and the steps they have taken to increase incentives for local entrepreneurs. Most city leaders understand that more entrepreneurs and businesses brining in revenue to the city will be beneficial towards the city’s economic growth. The question, however, is how do they attract these entrepreneurs and develop a startup environment that allows itself to grow? This is the question that a majority of Mayors in budding startup cities are facing. Below are some Mayors that have already taken these steps along with different strategies that they have taken to promote startup growth in their city.
In Los Angeles, California, Mayor Eric Garcetti is focusing on increasing profits from LA’s growing Silicon Beach. The Mayor has recently teamed up with Ernst & Young LLP to launce their Entrepreneur in Residence program. With this program, the city’s team of entrepreneurs will be living in City Hall for a one-year term. The goal of this will be for the entrepreneurs to develop strategies and policies to enhance job creation and the startup community.
Mayor Svante Myrick from Ithaca, New York is creating initiatives to move the startup community from the college campus to the city center to boost the local economy. His plan is to rezone the city center to incorporate commercial buildings as mixed-use space for startups and small businesses.
Last but not least, we have Mayor Greg Fischer from Louisville, Kentucky. Mayor Fischer is an entrepreneurs himself, having invented the automated ice and beverage dispenser seen in most restaurants and convenience stores, SerVend. From his company, he was able to develop a private investment firm and Louisville’s first business accelerator program. Mayor Fischer also recently announced that their one-year old free software-training program, Code Louisville, has received a $2.9 million federal grant. This program looks to fill the thousands of vacant tech jobs in the area.