How Can Fukuoka Become The Next Silicon Valley

How can Fukuoka become the next Silicon Valley
Shunichi Arai
CTO, Founder at Mogura Inc.
Blogger, Founder at Asiajin.com

Shunichi Arai
Entrepreneur
Developing a contact management software as a service.
Blogger
Asiajin.com – the best English blog on Japanese IT

Kyushu Ruby Kaigi Conference
(cc-by) ShintaroKakutani

Tech Communities in Fukuoka
Ruby Business Commons
Fukuoka Ruby Forum
Rubyist Kyushu
PHP in Fukuoka
Java Community Kyushu
Fukuoka.pm
Fukuoka Web Workers
Codecheck.in
Satoken (Website Management Study Group)
Fukuoka Terako(Adobe Flash technology)
Tenjin.web
Etc…

Number of Public Internet Companies
出典：ネット株価情報 (netindex.jp)

Number of Patents Registered
出典：特許庁特許行政年次報告書2009年版

Per Capita Personal Income (2006)
出典：内閣府経済社会総合研究所平成18年度県民経済計算

Number of Welfare Recipients

Creative Center and Innovation
Innovation is the source of wealth.
Florida says that innovation occurs at creative centers by creative people.
The most important thing is to attract creative people to the city.

3Tare the key factors of creativity city
Technology
Talents
Tolerance
Gay index, Diversity index, and Bohemian index
Life style matters

Lifestyle factor of Fukuoka city
Small Gay area in Sumiyoshi area
Nightclubs in Oyafuko area
Bicycle friendly city
Cultural center like NPOTiempoIberoAmericano
Fukuoka Now!

I live in Fukuoka, because
I love Daimyo
Very good Salsa dancing scene
Can take social leadership and opportunities
However, more intellectual events needed

Talents
ConservativeInfrastructureCompanies
Tokyo

Paul Graham said
“Great cities attract ambitious people. You can sense it when you walk around one. In a hundred subtle ways, the city sends you a message: you could do more; you should try harder.”

Messages
New York = you should make more money
Boston = you should be smarter
Silicon Valley = you should be more powerful.
What matters in Silicon Valley is how much effect you have on the world.
Fukuoka?
You should be relaxed. Enjoy your life. Take it easy.

Fukuoka People
Less ambitious people
Less fear for future
Tokyo people want to have two skills
Such as IT+English, Finance+English, Sales+IT
Fukuoka people satisfy with only one
No company to use many skills

Diversity
出典：法務省入国管理局平成１９年末外国人登録者数

Mixi
BataraEto

Conclusion
We should attract more talents
Diversity and job opportunities are key
We should invest to education, R&D, cultures and entrepreneurs.
Universities should be in city center
We should change people’s mind