After the « Start-Ups », the « Start-up Cities ».

If you think “Silicon Valley” when you read Star-up Cities”, I’m afraid to say that you should look forward. The journalist who named it in 1971 is now probably retiring! However the first thing I thought when I’ve read “Start-up Cities” was “yes of course Silicon Valley! This is not new!” Of course I was wrong! We still think about our innovative centers such as the Silicon Valley or Sophia-Antipolis in France. But you don't check the new ones.We could find some very good ideas in these new projects. 

Let’s have a look at 4 new huge projects for research and innovation. These are locales that specifically promote and foster entrepreneurial ideas and networking and they look quite impressive!

          1)      The National University of Singapore (NUS)

Singapore _ with its 5.2 millions of inhabitants_ has spent more than $7.5 billion in research and development in 2011. This corresponds to a 2.5% of its GDP. The goal is to reach the 3% to reach the best countries in this field: Japan, Finland, Sweden, Taiwan, and South Korea. The Island grew its software industry to $28 billion last year, according to Bloomberg, and its accolades are stacking up: it came in No.2 in the Forum’s 2012-2013 Global Competitiveness Index, behind Switzerland.

The University now has more than 34,000 students. They just build a hotel on the campus which looks quite good.

The Hotel on the Campus

The General Electric Innovation Center

Inside the University

Outside of the University

With these results, Singapore’s government has a five-year plan to support technological growth and give to Singapore a statue of entrepreneurial hub.

           2)      Startup Canada

Startup Canada is different because it’s not a huge building plan but an non-profit organization. The idea is to create start-up communities dispersed across the North American country. They try to convince people to become entrepreneurs and help them to do so with for example some training events where all the future entrepreneurs can network. According to what we can see on the picture below, there were 25,000 entrepreneurs involved on the project.

           3)      Skolkovo in Russia

Also called the “New Silicon Valley”, this small town has been chosen to become the technological and innovation center of Russia. It will include a research university, a “technopark” to accommodate 1,000 start-ups and 40 research and development centers for corporations. The total planned investment is closed to $1000 million!

Here is one picture showing the future Business School and another one showing some facts and numbers about this impressive project.

The future Business School at Skolkovo

           4)      Aalto University in Helsinki

The last project is maybe more classic but also quite impressive. It’s the fusion of three major schools in Finland: Helsinki School of Economics (Business School), The University School of Science and Technology and the University of Design and Architecture.

In an old warehouse next to the school, students created the Start-Up Sauna, a business accelerator with partial funding from the government where students can network, receive coaching, and plan field trips to Silicon Valley.

This project already gave birth to some very successful company such as Skype and Rovio Entertainment, the company that created Angry Birds!

All these projects are different. We have investment projects with the Singapore University and the Skolkovo technological center, association project to support and help entrepreneurs in Canada and merging project with the University of Aalto. However, it’s absolutely not sure that all these projects will be successful. But still, there are some good ideas that South Europe and the US should think about. Better : thinking about new ideas!