If you are were born-and-raised in Iowa (regardless if you live there now) you need to give this movie clip by Chris Pirillo a listen. As a Iowa bred and born techie I am literally torn on his take on Iowa and technology. The reality is if it weren't for my love for the outdoors, particularly hunting and fishing I very well would have left the state myself so what follows is a bit hypocritical (if I admit it does it make it less of a felony?).
Chris' big point is cultural change needs to happen from within. Specifically Iowa's ability to connect to the world - technologically speaking - must happen more as a grass roots movement. Specifically he cites the ICN's ability to connect rural Iowa and the inability for Iowa to use it and similar means to connect to the outside world. Is he on to something? Maybe...and I should note this all has the similar undertones from Obama's campaign about rural America. While Obama specifically talked about guns and religion what he was really hitting on was the culture of small town America and, because I know how to evaluate news with my own brain as opposed to the digested crap from news outlets like CNN, I can appreciate his comments for the true meaning...not what someone spoonfed me. But I digress...
So the real question is does a technological cultural shift really have to happen from within? Is there not a way to bring Iowa into the technological fold without having to wait for rural Iowa to "give in"? I think having he shift happen from within would work, but it will simply take too long. I think the reality is that it there will need to be change on both sides of that fence. There's a lot of technological know how in Iowa. From simple social activities like #dmtweetups to internationally recognized companies like Rockwell Collins you will learn the brain power is here. The love and thirst for technology is here. But that isn't enough...and I think this is what Chris missed a bit in his video. Change can be ushered in with help from external pressures. As the internet makes telecommuting more acceptable in the corporate world companies should be willing to find great, remote talent in places like Iowa. Sure such jobs would likely involve some travel (and traveling in/out of Iowa sucks....hard), but the ability to work remotely for great technology companies is upon us. This can be helped by having ex-Iowans who've left the state convince technology companies there is talent to be had in Iowa. But that's not enough.
In the end, the money has to come to Iowa before any of this can be feasible. Why is good chunk of the tech VC market in the Bay Area? C'mon, there are a lot of really smart people there...way smarter than me, but they don't have all the "great" ideas. They don't have all the great talent. Maybe it is some great marketing by California's government, area chambers of commerce and universities? Maybe it's because of their sheer population? Who knows, but soon the Internet will flatten the job market allowing people to live where the want because they love the area, not because it has work there. When that because a conscious reality for us all the people holding the money will be looking to find great ideas in markets where voices have been largely ignored. But remember the key! It has to happen from both sides of the fence!
Government has to provide incentives for companies and their investors, graduates from Iowa who leave the state need to be the most vocal advocates of what we have to offer and as citizens of a great state we need to be willing to buck the stereotypes the world has of Iowa and be willing to prove that technology innovation is here.
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