(2007-01-30) Nyc Startup Challenges

There's a decent thread on the NextNY email list about big Nyc Challenges for Start Up-s.

This was initiated by Charlie O Donnell [scheduling](http://www.nextny.org/wiki/show/Nyc Hub) a Live Event for Feb28.

Jonah Keegan posted about the thread, and suggested some form of Incubator be created.

• Apr12: Charlie O Donnell notes some NYC Incubator-s that already exist.

Nate Westheimer noted a Red Tape issue: Forming an LLC in New York State (only one of six states with a publishing requirement) and within New York County (the most expensive state to publish in) is not cheap. When all's said and done, your LLC will cost you $2,000.

• another commenter noted that you can file your LLC anywhere, so you might as well do it where it's cheap (e.g. Delaware)

• an online service I looked at quoted less than $600 for a "full" LLC package in NY, and just $100 cheaper in Delaware. So that $2000 figure above might include some unnecessary fees.

Nate Westheimer suggests a collective space, one part cafe (Third Place) and one part office, which could support up to a dozen small resident companies of various smallness, and work-space, geared toward the laptop carrying professional, embedded in a community cafe operated by the members themselves. Since we're all tech people here, I say in in a way we can all understand: "It's "CoWorking" meets "CoOperative cafe" meets NYSIA... This would be a Non-Profit, overseen by a board and very small administrative staff. However, the structure I've put forward doesn't lose money, and by using a cooperative model remains very self-sufficient. Member companies pay for their space and take care of the space, visiting professionals pay modest fees for usage, income from the cafe goes back into the organization's coffers. But let's not lie: start-up money would be needed and backers would have to take risks. A building would need to be bought or a massive space rented. But who would back such a thing? Who do you think backs those Universities on the West Coast where VC-s mull around in the halls, looking for deals? Benefactors.

• I just re-ran across this Trend Watching profile that notes a couple NYC spaces for writers and TwoRooms, a space offering office space plus Child Care. (oops, just noticed that TwoRooms has closed down.)

• Apr5: Darren Herman is aiming to create some space near Wall St. Aiming for $250/day for cubicle with WiFi.

Oct24 update: another thread covering similar territory.