The ongoing war (OK, skirmish) between London and Berlin on which city will be the tech hub of Europe has been rekindled due to the Government’s investment in the city as a new digital hub. It is great to see competitive juices up among Europe’s great cities to help drag them out of economic crisis. The focus on technology, supported by government spending to attract and develop jobs, is right on.
The US has had great focus on economic development over the past few years and we have seen creative organizations and some incredible success stories (See Michigans efforts and successes with MEDC and their public scorecard so folks can see their success). But it would be great for cities in the US to kickoff a competition to help drive urban oriented tech investment and startup support. Sure San Francisco is a mecca, but there are cities across the US who have invested in broadband, in tech ed, in favorable tax treatments and research clusters.
Lets unleash our competitive spirit to beat out Berlin and London.