Awesome read. This guy seems like he'd be fun to have a beer with.
That said: he reveals his hand at the end. His startup ideas have been rejected, he's been told he has no chance of being funded in the future and is generally disliked by the Vegas Tech community. So this is his butthurt revenge (whether he realizes it or not).
That doesn't mean anything he said is untrue, but it means it's a certainty there is another side to this story that would paint a much different picture of the nature of the interactions between "Vegas Tech" and the downtown "locals".
Having lived in Vegas for awhile, one key element he didn't mention which could by itself explain why they keep to themselves, is safety. There have probably been naive startup kids who have been mugged, conned, attacked, hustled and worse. The easiest defense to this is to stick together and not get involved with outsiders.
Honestly? I've never sought money from the DTP, nor do I plan to. I have lots of other contacts for VC if I seek it. :-)
My point was that I don't need them, which is why I'm okay with saying this stuff where others in the community aren't.
But you're right: there are other sides to the story. If it interests you, seek them out!
[Edit: actually, I spoke informally to some of them very briefly, very early on in the timeline of all of this, about investing in my startup. I'd forgotten that. But it never went anywhere and after a bit I realized it would have been a bad fit anyway.]
My bad didn't realize you (the author) submitted this.
You specifically said they talk bad about you "when they think you aren't listening" and that you've been told you won't get funded. I made the leap that you had requested said funding and been rejected so perhaps that part was incorrect.
I do look forward to hearing the other side but I'll repeat: I'm not saying a word of what you said is inaccurate. Just that its important to consider the source is somebody who feels slighted by the Tech Vegas clique.
That said: he reveals his hand at the end. His startup ideas have been rejected, he's been told he has no chance of being funded in the future and is generally disliked by the Vegas Tech community. So this is his butthurt revenge (whether he realizes it or not).
That doesn't mean anything he said is untrue, but it means it's a certainty there is another side to this story that would paint a much different picture of the nature of the interactions between "Vegas Tech" and the downtown "locals".
Having lived in Vegas for awhile, one key element he didn't mention which could by itself explain why they keep to themselves, is safety. There have probably been naive startup kids who have been mugged, conned, attacked, hustled and worse. The easiest defense to this is to stick together and not get involved with outsiders.