MidwestStartups.com | Virtual density for the booming Midwest startup ecosystem
Welcome to Midwest Startups, the hub for all things startups, tech and venture capital across the Midwestern United States. In an ecosystem that’s historically been hampered by the disparate nature of its natural landscape, we couldn’t be more excited to announce the launch of Midwest Startups — a tech-enabled solution to create virtual density and accelerate startup activity and growth in the region.
It’s no secret that startup activity has been picking up in the Midwest for some time now. More and more heads are beginning to turn and look to see what’s going on, and some folks are even saying things like the Midwest will soon have more startups than Silicon Valley.
We can speculate all day about whether statements like that will or won’t pan out, but there are some facts about what exists today that aren’t really up for debate. Roughly a quarter to a third of all U.S. Fortune 500’s are based here (depending on how you define the Midwest geographically). There has been a surging trend of MicroVCs — many of which now seeding the increased Midwestern startup activity that’s here as well. Excellent universities can be found all over the Midwest, and the region continues to have huge economic advantages around cost of living and cost of doing business.
There is something crucial that’s still missing though — at least in comparison to places like Silicon Valley and the East Coast (NYC / Boston). Connectivity.
Yes, the Midwest has great access to world class talent through the universities and major corporations. Yes, the Midwest has access to capital through funds based here and those coming in from outside. Yes, innovation is alive and well through accelerators, incubators, universities and big companies. But at the end of the day, the Midwest as a whole does not share the same natural connectivity as Silicon Valley or the East Coast — simply as a result of larger geography and less resource density. There is good news though…
We’re using technology to solve this problem.
Midwest Startups has been created to act as the “connective tissue” for the growing Midwest startup ecosystem. It’s not just another online community or place to “get hyped,” but a site with real utility for anyone looking to participate (join a startup), evaluate (get a comprehensive lay of the land), or discover and learn (from VC-backed CEOs, investors and experts).
Interested in joining a startup?
If you’re at all interested in life as a key part of a venture-backed, high growth startup in the Midwest — get yourself set up on Midwest Startups. One quick “application” puts you in front of dozens of high potential startups in the Midwest that have each already raised at least one round of venture capital. Whether you’re passively interested for sometime in the future, or actively trying to make moves yesterday — getting set up on Midwest Startups is a quick, easy, and painless step you can take right now (beta) to be on the radar of great startups with great opportunities.
Curious about the general landscape?
The Midwest is a large place with lots of players. Through continuous quantitative and qualitative analysis we provide the easiest way to get a strong understanding of what’s going on in the Midwest. Our first resource to help you navigate the best places for a startup to plant, grow and thrive is our first installment of Midwest Startups Cities: Best of the Midwest — ranking over 50 of the top startup ecosystems in the region.
Looking to stay ‘in-the-know’ and learn from the best?
Although this article is the official “kick off” post for Midwest Startups, you’ll be reading a lot more from smarter folks than myself. Venture-backed founders, industry experts and startup thought leaders will be contributing here with interviews, industry insight, general startup tips, thoughts on building a startup in their own city, and more.
That’s it for now. Again, welcome to Midwest Startups, pardon our dust as we continue to build on what we’ve started, get yourself set up, check out our rankings on how the best of the Midwest cities stack up, and be sure to follow us here and on twitter to discover, learn and stay in the know from our contributing CEO’s, investors and thought leaders!
About the Author
Mike Asem is a director of Chicago-based MicroVC, M25. M25 focuses on seed-stage Midwestern startups in most industries. Mike lives in downtown Chicago and loves staying active, exploring great food, and rooting for Chicago sports. He also enjoys making fruit wines, with awards for both his strawberry and blueberry wines. If you really want to get his attention, your best bet will be to help him find some great sushi or make a new batch of wine.
Twitter: @dmikeasem
About Midwest Startups
Midwest Startups is the best resource for all things startups and tech in the Midwest. Create one profile to access job opportunities at several dozen venture-backed tech startups in the Midwest. Developed by M25 — one of the most active early-stage investors across the region — to create a hub for aspiring and experienced talent to easily access the fastest-growing companies where they want to work.
Twitter: @MidwestStartups
