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Comment by auston | Hacker News Reader

FB group for anyone else considering leaving: https://www.facebook.com/groups/373683909882919/

I can tell you that Miami would definitely like you here, even our Mayor cosigns: https://twitter.com/FrancisSuarez/status/1100425644968738822

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A group of SV VCs have moved to Miami and are in the process of building a whole neighborhood called "Magic City" dedicated to startups and entrepreneurship. It's an opportunity zone, so they're using their stock investments "tax free". A city like Miami has had a very hard time creating a startup ecosystem, many have tried and failed, but it's a matter of time for it to happen.

Source: https://magiccitydistrict.com/

Note: what you see in the pictures are not built yet

IDK if those are SV VCs but I applaud their effort nonetheless.

I would love to start a business in Miami but the COL seems pretty high. I feel like it's probably the best place in the world to start a latin america-focused tech company (social networking, streaming, fintech, etc.) and it seems like a great place to live. Does anybody happen to know what kind of companies the VC's there are focused on - could see pure tech plays being outside of their core competencies and thus unlikely to get funded.

I grew up there, I'm a Peruvian immigrant and just don't understand why people think Miami is good for tech. Solid engineers just move to the Bay Area; who wants to keep living in Miami which has such a cultural aversion to education, a major machismo problem, and frequent flooding.

If you want to work with LATAM, hire Latinx engineers in the Bay (there are lots of us) and hire tech people in Argentina, Mexico, Chile, and Brazil. Lots of talented folks in all those places.

I guess the idea would be to recruit people to move to Miami since there isn't a big tech scene there already (I think there is an Oracle office and maybe Univision has an office?). I've only vacationed there but would gladly take my current pay and live there over west coast. The education/machismo problems at least shouldn't affect a business much since you are probably unlikely to run into those hiring tech people, that's more of an out-of-work thing. One of my best friends is from Miami and the main gripe he has is more the conspicuous consumption (often funded by lots of debt) - again, shouldn't be much of a problem.

But, the grass is always greener I suppose. When I've visited I stayed in nicer places (Brickell, Miami Beach) than I could likely afford year round + just generally engaging in more fun activities than working. I do think lots of people like me would be more than willing to take a West-coast level salary to live in Miami instead though, at least for a few years.

IBM also has presence in Miami and a few other places in Florida

I’m the son of a Peruvian immigrant who also grew up here. Things have been changing - FIU runs the largest comp sci program in the SouthEast.

Companies are getting funded & acquired. Engineers are building cool things and meeting regularly. Plus there are plenty of LatAm HQs here.

You should come back & visit, I’d be glad to show you around and introduce you to the people building real companies.

"it seems like a great place to live"

Great except for all the hurricanes, sweltering heat and high humidity, and cultural wasteland.

Not that SF has much culture compared to world-class cities like NYC, London, Berlin, or Amsterdam, and Silicon Valley is even worse.

California also has earthquakes, so maybe it evens out.

More culture in Miami than San Francisco.

Yes definitely check out startup.miami - it’s a good starting point.

I’m also happy to connect you, just drop me a line.

Phoenix area is another option... Scottsdale, Tempe and Chandler in particular are very business friendly. Yes, it's hot as hell for about 3 months out of the year, but AC works, and it's pretty easy to get a remote start option for your car.

Developer pay relative to the greater population and cost of living is also really good compared to a lot of places.

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