Spanish TechStars
The truth is: when I see initiatives like TechStars (seen on Brad Feld's blog) I get really tempted to pack my belongings and take a plane to USA. It's very hard, not just for legal matters, but for the personal ones. But things like TechStars are the ones that make the difference between USA and the rest (specially Spain, where I live).
I've never fully given up on my American adventure, and who knows, it might get truth one of these days because things here are very deceiving when compared.
That's why I've been thinking about a promise I've made to myself. A promise that I make now to other tech entrepreneurs that come afterwards: As soon as I can, I'll create a Spanish TechStars.
I know that this is confronted to focus, but I need to look forward and imagine the future. It's insane to sweep like Beppo all the time.
That "as soon as I can" is way too blurry now, but I know that success is very close, and the economic and networking power is a little bit farther, but not so much I hope.
Every entrepreneur here, at Spain, is always complaining about the lack of help from the government (and usually help means money), but I don't remember anyone at the USA saying that their government has gave them money. Money, contacts, help, the ecosystem is something that people create and companies empower, not the government.
Of course, there are a couple of things that the USA government does and the Spanish one does not:
- Laws, like the bankruptcy one that mitigates the risk of creating a business.
- Easy and cheap administrative procedures.
- Low taxes, at least at the first stages (in Spain you have to give a 27% of your earnings to the government, from the first euro you win).
- Easy and stablished legal frame for BA's and VC's.
All of these things are out of our reach as single persons, but the creation of help, investment and contact networks is in our hands.
So there goes my promise, one that I hope to honor: Spanish TechStars.
Will you join me?
