New bold experimental cities/communities will boom over the next 10 years
These new "startup anti-cities" will unlock so much potential
Stop and think about this:
These new "startup anti-cities" will unlock so much potential
Stop and think about this:
The state of cities:
1. Cities are becoming more unequal
2. Cities are becoming unbearably expensive
3. Cities have seen a surge of crime
4. Many people feel foreign in their own city
5. Many people post-COVID are craving new life
experiences
6. Many people work remote
1. Cities are becoming more unequal
2. Cities are becoming unbearably expensive
3. Cities have seen a surge of crime
4. Many people feel foreign in their own city
5. Many people post-COVID are craving new life
experiences
6. Many people work remote
Bottom line:
New experimental cities are inevitable
New experimental cities are inevitable
The playbook for prosperous startup anti-cities:
- Start with a compelling purpose
- Green & sustainable
- Focus on lifestage
- Affordable
- Inclusive
- Web3 friendly
- Verticalized
- Start as a digital community and move to physical
- Start with a compelling purpose
- Green & sustainable
- Focus on lifestage
- Affordable
- Inclusive
- Web3 friendly
- Verticalized
- Start as a digital community and move to physical
The startup city MVP:
- Create city manifesto
- Design digital community
- Acquire digital community residents
- Acquire land
- Establish laws
- Build one building. Host events. Host people
- Convert digital community to physical community
- Build self-sustaining town
- Create city manifesto
- Design digital community
- Acquire digital community residents
- Acquire land
- Establish laws
- Build one building. Host events. Host people
- Convert digital community to physical community
- Build self-sustaining town
City experiments are worthwhile
It creates new options for people
Competition makes existing cities better
It allows us to push boundaries
Win-win-win.
It creates new options for people
Competition makes existing cities better
It allows us to push boundaries
Win-win-win.
Startup founders can make for successful startup city founders
- Instead of attracting new customers. Attract new residents
- Instead of FB as your competition. Compete against SF
- Instead of designing an app. Design a community
- Instead of securing your code. Secure your city
- Instead of attracting new customers. Attract new residents
- Instead of FB as your competition. Compete against SF
- Instead of designing an app. Design a community
- Instead of securing your code. Secure your city
Why start your anti-city as a digital community?
1. Validate. Build community/market fit before city launch
2. Funding. Pre-sell residences, office space etc
TLDR; reduce risk by gauging demand before becoming a full-fledged pioneer
1. Validate. Build community/market fit before city launch
2. Funding. Pre-sell residences, office space etc
TLDR; reduce risk by gauging demand before becoming a full-fledged pioneer
Most cities have failed us
Rearrange cities. They are stuck in the past
They can’t keep up with how fast society is changing
Rearrange cities. They are stuck in the past
They can’t keep up with how fast society is changing
Don’t get me wrong. I love many of our cities
I’ve lived in:
- SF
- NYC
- LA
- Sainte Agathe Des Monts, QC
- Montreal
- Miami
I love them all. I just think the more experimentation the better
It's like learning languages. The more you know the better
I’ve lived in:
- SF
- NYC
- LA
- Sainte Agathe Des Monts, QC
- Montreal
- Miami
I love them all. I just think the more experimentation the better
It's like learning languages. The more you know the better
Unhappy with you city?
- Help your city progress
- Start a new one (vote with your feet)
- Do both
- Help your city progress
- Start a new one (vote with your feet)
- Do both
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