Nearly everywhere you go in Seattle’s technology community, there’s talk about how the city is transforming into one of the most important cloud computing centers in the world.
And with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google and a host of up-and-coming startup companies, it’s hard to argue with the thesis that Seattle is truly one of the most important epicenters of the cloud computing revolution.
But not everyone believes it.
In a guest post on VentureBeat, Atlantic.net CEO Marty Puranik writes that Seattle just does not have the “deep roots” to “keep cloud innovations and developers there.”
“While it will be relevant, it won’t be where developers and cloud operations flock to next,” he writes.
Say, what?
Puranik’s commentary — which goes on to note that Seattle developers do not have the skill sets to create core cloud technologies — left me scratching my head. I’m not a Seattle homer by any means, and I’ll point out weaknesses in the tech ecosystem in the Pacific Northwest when I see them — whether the fits and starts in life sciences or lack of venture capital.
But cloud computing is one area where Seattle is especially strong. And the momentum just keeps building and building.
It seems nearly every other week at GeekWire, we report on yet another tech giant establishing engineering or cloud development centers in Seattle.
Dropbox. Apple. CenturyLink. Nutanix. Oracle. The list goes on and on. (See story: From Apple and Alibaba to Salesforce and Splunk: A guide to tech giants with outposts in Seattle)
All of them cite Seattle’s growing base of talent in the field. Texas-based Rackspace may not have any jobs listed in Seattle at the moment, as Puranik notes in his piece, but the companies above all do.
The Orlando, Florida-based entrepreneur doesn’t ignore the recent arrival of engineering centers, but diminishes the trend by noting that none of the shops are “moving their HQ” to Seattle. (I don’t think anyone in the Seattle area or anywhere else for that matter expects a company like Apple to move from Cupertino, or Oracle to vacate Redwood City for the Northwest).
Puranik writes that Seattle seems like a “random location” from which to start cloud operations — noting that Amazon and Microsoft are based in the region because the founders just happened to set up shop here decades ago.
That’s true, but so what.
There’s a bit of a luck and randomness involved in any economic hub getting its start, whether aerospace, automotive or cloud computing. Once a critical mass occurs, there’s not much you can do but let the economic forces take root.
Why not Seattle? And as Madrona Venture Group’s Matt McIlwain recently wrote, Seattle has already “become a powerhouse for infrastructure technology innovation.”
Puranik’s commentary really misses the point when he diminishes the talent base.
Amazon Web Services and Microsoft have been recruiting key talent to the region in the cloud computing arena for years — a trend that does not seem to be slowing down. That talent also is sparking a new wave of startup companies such as Chef, Skytap, ExtraHop, Shippable and many others.
It’s people like Distelli founder Rahul Singh, who spent eight years at Amazon Web Services as one of the organization’s earliest engineers and just last month scored $2.8 million from Andreessen Horowitz. You don’t see people with that type of skill set in Boulder or Boston.
Some of these startup companies will make it, others will not. But Amazon Web Services and Microsoft are sowing the seeds simply by being based in Seattle.
And it is that talent — along with the next-generation of computer scientists from the University of Washington — that is forming a strong base from which the region’s cloud computing fortunes seem poised to grow.
If you were an engineer specializing in cloud computing technologies, Seattle would have to be at or near the top of your list. Certainly, ahead of Boulder, Raleigh or London, cities cited by Puranik.
As the commentary correctly notes, the technology industry moves fast. And there’s certainly a risk that Seattle could stumble in this very important industry.
I just don’t see it happening anytime soon. Signs point to more investment and momentum.
Cloud computing in Seattle is now as persistent, as, well, the gray clouds that linger over our heads.
