I live here.

Medellin have a lot of "sleep" talent, but not significant investment or "cool" job opportunities. The government have a "face" for be a tech hub, but fall very short. And despite the good intentions of some people I have know, barely pay attention to the community neither apply real steps to push harder.

For example, I win one of the contest for tech startups among more than 1000 (or 2000? I don't remember) and the prize was US 2.000 aprox (with absurd restrictions: I only can use it for buy presentation cards, brochures and similars! And I get the full restriction only after the win!), with TONS OF USELESS "support" (ie: A lot of the money supposedly for impulse the startup machinery is for the consultants that provide "support" and "assistance").

For example, all the programs I have tried demand half-time for be in the "consultan support thing-y". For 6 MONTHS or more. All for the promise to travel to silicon valley, and meet some investors.

So, is like when the vice-president of the SENA (the main tech-jobs-formation institution in the country) say to us (aka: a dozen of the "most promising founders back them) "We have US 5 millons to support yours" and NONE of us get more than a place to code and that was all.

That is the bad. Sorry for the rant (I have tried for more than 4 years several things before quit)

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The GOOD:

Medellin have become a very good place for turist and we have a lot of visits for all over the world, with the obvious USA/Australia/Europeans plus Chinese and others.

The internet and related stuff is good. Not asian-amazing but for my understanding, far better than in USA. A LOT of internet penetration, more than in other latin-america countries.

A lot of untaped potential. However, is hard to build a startup: The idea of not get money for months is something very few can do it (And I mean: can. Is not about want or desire).

I'm lucky doing alone, but honestly I'm too relaxed than most ;), however, convince others to join me (and others startups) is very hard. Except if you promise a classic job arrangement, that is..

So is my belief than the one that get here a be ycombinator-alike will have a blast, because we don't have any significant player, like for example, a kind of google/famous startup where everyone wanna work.

Not even the financial industry or any other that is the "obvious" place to get employment.

So, among big companies, small groups of >5 developers are not uncommon.

Others good things:

- Medellin is considered the best city to live in the country. And that was true even in the times of the terrorist bombings!

- Not to hot, not to cold. Great food. Not to big, all the modern stuff is here. Good public transportation.

- Ultra-safe water supply. You can drink from the tap.

People are nice in general, and with foreigners even more. Not many of use know english well (as you can infer from my writing!) but is not hard to find qualified translators (my brother not only do english, also Chinese, so I know this from first hand), and around the city is becoming more and more common to have signs in both spanish/english.

So, I think the city is in the moment were the potential is there, and things are becoming more and more aligned, so is the moment to create things!