If Portland can do it, why can't we??

[Pat Coyle]

Jon Speer set off a vibrant E mail thread yesterday when he sent out this article and asked the recipients a simple question, "Why can't we do this in Indiana?" A great discussion ensued, but since it was on E mail, only those on the list could participate. We thought we'd invite Smaller Indiana to chime in...

The article Jon sent tells the story of an initiative called TechShop, which is making a ruckus in Portland. Here's a sample:

"Housed in a 33,000-square-foot warehouse in Beaverton, TechShop is a Willy Wonka-like headquarters for inventors and hobbyists that gives its members access to spendy tools most garages don’t have, from $15,000 laser cutters and smelting equipment to an $8,000 tungsten inert gas welder used to weld stainless steel. It also offers space for storage and offices for companies working on test projects, as well as member- and employee-taught public classes on everything from robotics to welding.

TechShop only opened last month, but the day I visited the warehouse was already buzzing with the sounds of industry. It’s only the third shop of its kind in the United States—joining the original TechShop in Menlo Park, Calif., and a recent addition in Durham, N.C.—but the Portland branch is growing fast, with 110 members so far."

Please read the article to get a better sense of what TechShop is all about, and then offer your thoughts...why can't we have a TechShop in Indiana? Share your opinions here

[Scott Saxon]

I really hesitated before writing the first time, but felt that since no one had bothered to even do a search on TechShop that I would try to bring some information to the forum.

I of course, figured it might be seen as promotional, but I proceeded none the less. It is not my intention to promote TechShop on this forum, and I should probably just keep my opinions to myself, but I actually thought someone might like more information. All this discussion and all this negativity, without hardly a shred of information.

After reading your answer, I started to write again, answering each of your challenges, but soon realized we are not going to change each others mind and so have removed all of them. You are entitled to your opinion and that is fine with me. I disagree with you on several points, but I also hate to argue. So I won't.

By the way. Yes, the dream is for 2000 TechShops all over the country.

I won't be commenting again unless someone wants to know something and I can offer the answer.

You are still welcome to drop by any time as is anyone else. We are always open to visitors.

[Scott Saxon]

So if I feel I have information on one subject and post it it will be seen as promotional unless I post more on other subjects?

Please consider this. I live in North Carolina. My business is in North Carolina. I have a very good friend in Terre Haute, but otherwise I am an outsider. My business takes up most of my time and I have little left for anything else. Talking on forums simply is not a luxury I can afford. No offense, but I actually have spent way too much time on this today. If it were promotional, that would be different. But I do not for a second think that I will bring in a dime from anyone from Indiana. That was never my intention. Promoting my business in Indiana would be foolish at best. Stupid at worst. How on earth could you suggest that my intentions were promotional? I stumbled onto a website with what I felt was minimal information and tried to clear up what I felt were a few misconceptions.

It's like walking past a couple arguing and accidentally opening your mouth. Now you're in the middle of an argument that really has nothing to do with you. Dang, how did that happen? Oh yeah, it was ME that opened up my mouth.

I guess the best I can do is just to apologize and move on. But you keep pulling me back in to the conversation.

Not a new idea? I would be interested to know of any other shop of this scale that has been tried. As I said before, there have been other similar stores, but nothing quite like this. If you disagree, then you might want to back it up with examples.

If we all listened to the "realists", nothing new would ever get tried. I have never "prepared or developed such a project as this" before, but am willing to give it a try. Wish me luck. Please don't tell me why it won't work. I'd rather not hear it. I'm going to continue to owrk this as if it cannot fail. That's how I work.

I appreciate your comment that there would be a lot of support if one were opened in Indiana. I heartily agree. You think there might not be enough members to support it, but remember well under 500 members will support this type of venture.

[Scott Saxon]

I have a spider that searches the web and notifies me whenever the word TechShop appears on a website somewhere. That is how I became informed of the post on your forum. The topic came up, I was notified and tried to add information. The result has been no fun. Sorry I participated.

You just keep saying things that make it very hard to get back to what I should be doing. Why do you feel it necessary to try to make me look bad if I don't have time to talk endlessly on points that are largely opinions? I guess that is what the forum is all about, but I simply do not have time.

I am not nor have I ever been promoting my business on this forum. If you see it that way, you are mistaken.

[Jack Pincus]

I don't think Chris is trying to make you look bad. And at least I, for one, didn't interpret your post as self-promoting or promotional. I found it informative. I think TechShop is a great idea and seems to be gaining traction in the places where it has been started. Those of us taking a negative view are questioning whehter it can work in Indiana. I've lived in Boston and Silicon Valley, know Portland (and Seattle) very well, and am familiar with the culture in the Raleigh Durham area. The soil is those regions is fertile for an idea like TechShop. The culture in areas like Indiana is different, possibly due to a long history of large, vertically integrated manufacturing companies that provided good paying jobs that did not require specialized talents for masses of people. This environment does not foster initiative and creates an infertile soil. Those of us who question a TechShop in Indiana are wondering whether it can germinate in Indiana. Perhaps we'll know the answer soon. Jon Speers is interested in exploring the feasibility of a TechShop in Indiana.

[Jon D. Speer]

Scott,
I'm glad you participated. My opinion is that the TechShop concept is awesome. Indy has many people who would love to see and could benefit from a TechShop-like facility. I'd like to connect with you via phone / email sometime. My email is [e-mail].

[Jon D. Speer]

I did some research on TechShops and completed the contact information. I'm going to work with a few companies in the Indy area to see if we can put one of these together. I believe it would be a huge asset for many entrepreneurial ventures.

[Jack Pincus]

TechShop is a way of bridging the gap between an idea and prototype. The question is whether there is enough interest to fund it and enough users to sustain it.

[Scott Saxon]

It won't be easy, but extremely rewarding if you succeed. I wish you the best.

[PK Koduri]

Jon - if you need a collaborator on this project I will be more than happy to help. I understand the need for a facility where new product ideas can be rapidly translated into prototypes having spent several months on an innovation team.

[Jon D. Speer]

Okay, I'd love the help. I'll connect with you on SI.

[Jack Pincus]

Thanks for your comments. Re state of mind, I've lived in Silcon Valley and know Durham and Portland very well. Their state-of-mind is vastly different than Indianana. I think TechShop is a great idea. But projects like TechShop have been proposed before in Indiana and none have gained traction. The same is true for business startup activities. The Indiana Venture Center closed last December after five years because it didn't gain traction. There is very little interest in starting new businesses or creative activities in Indiana and some other midwestern states.

[Jon D. Speer]

I both agree and disagree. Regarding the state of mind: let's change it. I'm not positive we can get a TechShop going. But I am positive there is interest. We have to identify change agents and do what we can to make it happen.
Regarding the IVC: I think they provided a great service for five years. The fact that they lasted for five years is a testament that there was a market. However, my understanding with IVC is that the principles had different objectives and decided to move on.
We can't expect the faucet to go from a trickle to full blast overnight. If we talk about how things can't change, we've already given up.