Next Silicon Valley?
Somewhere in the colder reaches of Northern Europe something stirs. The good life , for most of us involves sunshine and plenty of free time not to mention laughter, so why would budding entrepreneurs head for the desolate borderlands between Estonia and Finland?
A recent interview in the progressive ‘inde’ magazine , Dawn Treader, with the tech city founder , Mr. Toom Nes proclaimed that the skills were there in abundance and there was no need to look to California for inspiration. This little known principality, once the playground of the Baltic royal family, has come to symbolise the wild creative streak needed to make things happen in the tech sector. Sitting resplendent in his oversized full length fur coat Nes declares that his new operating system, designed specifically to cater for the myriad of alphabetic permutations in this part of the world, will soon be on everybody’s lips. Certainly, the interviewer confessed to being in awe of this new system, code named ASLAN, suggesting it had some ethereal quality and seemed to understand his thinking. High praise indeed from a seasoned gnarled print copy journalist more used to sacrificing the ASLAN’s of this world on the altar of public opinion.
Whether this tech hub will grow and defeat the forces of evil in other places remains to be seen but there are no shortage of believers. One up and coming Canadian visitor, Justin, said he had without doubt become a believer and had already ‘tweeted’ his excitement by posting a ‘selfie’ as he passed through the security checkpoint at the tech city boundary.
So much positive commentary is coming from this corner of the frozen tundra that I myself am booked to visit within weeks. Knowing how cold it still is, even at this time of year, I have reached way back into the darkest corners of my wardrobe to find a suitable coat to wear whilst I am visiting. Footwear is a different matter, others who have visited before me recommend something akin to a goat’s footwear but even Mr. Toom Nes himself thinks that will not be possible
I am quite enchanted by this place , no more than a days car journey from the Caspian Sea this modest but aspirational tech city, Naaniya, remains deeply immersed in the dark woods and backwaters where only the select few get to beaver away and produce magic.
Time will tell what it is like, whether I will need to plunge into the wardrobe for coats again depends upon what happens when I am there but be assured…you will be the first to know.
see you on the long and winding road…… Patrick
