Kansas is Successfully Creating Tech Jobs. We Can Too

CNN has a nice piece here on tech jobs moving to Kansas. They call it the "Silicon Prairie".  Coders and others involved in IT development who grew up in Kansas and headed to the west and east coasts for employment in their twenties are returning later in life to raise families and enjoy a better standard of living.

Youngstown has the Business Incubator which enjoys the support of the community and state.  By all accounts the YBI has been successful in assisting the creation of companies focused on business to business applications.  Perhaps we need to see if we can emulate Kansas and lure expatriate entrepreneurs back to the Mahoning Valley.  We can offer a cheap cost of living, entrepreneurial opportunities that would service start up companies and government incentives.

Long distance collaboration between developers and business is more viable than ever due to technology like on-line meetings, email and conference calls.  I've personally been involved in the development of multiple business applications using these methods.  It's not as easy as having your developer in the next office but it's not that great an inconvenience either.

Perhaps Youngstown, Warren and the surrounding communities can target area expatriates for return who got educated and ran for the bright lights of larger cities by offering high end housing incentives, income tax breaks and incentives to hire graduates of YSU and local trade schools.

These kinds of collaborative efforts will be necessary to attract high end talent from afar to begin start-ups in the Mahoning Valley.  The kind of experience these people can bring to the area will augment our already successful efforts.