<THREAD> A lot of people ( @RonTaylorNL @Terry_Hussey @paulpreston_nl @NATI_NL @SeamusORegan @TCII_GovNL @CBCNL) are talking about how to enhance the technology sector here, attract tech companies, startups and technology workers.

As someone who moved to #newfoundland three years ago from BC/ON specifically to launch a tech company and work here in the tech sector I think I have a unique perspective.

Here are my ideas to get #tech fired up here:

And to be clear #newfoundland needs tech workers, like me, moving here in order to complete globally. Skilled tech workers can go almost anywhere. How do we make them come here?

Here is how we do it:

1. Get them right out of college by giving them a down payment for a house.

Entry level housing here is super affordable compared to other provinces. 5% of a 300k house is only $15k. For Millennials/GenZ being able to own a house out of school is huge. I bought my first at 36.

2. Along the same lines, consider paying off their student debt with a five year commitment to stay here. Also forgive any student debt for those graduating local technology programs. As per @NATI_NL research each tech job creates $400k of economic activity per year.

3. Provide all relocating tech workers a community concierge service for the first year to help them get settled and support them in their move. Show them a little #newfoundland hospitality. Show them we really want them here.

4. Pay their moving expenses. Mine were only about 4k. It's about lowering the barriers to entry. While we are at it pay for their flight here, first class.

5. Provide a subsidy to companies who will do a spousal hire of the tech worker, so that couples can both find work. Don't make this exclusive to married couples.

6. We have funding support for employers to hire, for example @ACOACanada or @NRC_CNRC will provide for 75% of the costs for some tech work. Why just have the hiring companies benefit. Create a program that adds a 10-20% salary bonus direct to the worker for a year.

Now on to attracting startups/founders as well as fostering local start ups and innovation:

7. On the topic of @ACOA which is a great program and attracted me to start a company here, why not adapt some of the programs to be equity based instead of debt based. The last thing a #venturecapital company like @PelorusVenture wants to see is a debt laden balance sheet.

8. To entice tech startups to come here or be founded, create a program where any founder with a plausible technology can get a living salary to work on their company for a year. Maybe 30k, keep it low to drive success but enough to live off while in start up.

9. Apply the founding salary program (above) but also drastically expand @Genesis_Centre. Specifically remove any barriers to entry for Genesis, no application, just join, get some space to work, get free supports, advice mentorship, etc. Only accept tech companies.

10. Also, can we agree that prize amounts for hackathons, pitch and business plan competitions need to go to. Sure $1000 is motivating to students but launching a new product takes about $1M. Let's get prizes at 25k, 50k and 100k levels. Let's make sure competitions are monthly.

11. There is also a whole segment of experienced business people who are working in established organizations. Entice these folks to once again venture into #Entrepreneurship and #tech ideally in working with (not just mentoring) younger tech workers and leaders.

Now more on needed facilities and amenities:

12a. We tend to forget about the hardware aspect of tech and focus only on the software. We need spaces to develop and test new hardware. We need to apply the library (free to access) model to hacker/maker spaces. Free access to electronics labs, machine shops, expert fabricators

12b. A great example of access to hardware facilities is the @UWaterloo student design center: https://tinyurl.com/jqmlmpe  where I co-founded the Waterloo Rockery Team https://tinyurl.com/yd44ra33 

Create a new facility like this and/or open up @MemorialU shops and labs to everyone.

12c. Many technologies were created only because their inventors could access needed facilities. The famous case is @BillGates having access to a computer to start programming. Among others.

Who knows what we could invent here with access to facilities.

13a. Let's face it #winter is really terrible here, as evidenced by #snowmageddon. #newfoundland really needs a public amenity to address this. I propose we convert an industrial space or park to a cutting edge botanical garden where people can enjoy some green in the winter.

13b. People born and raised here in #newfoundland might not think winter is that bad, but trust me for those considering moving here from elsewhere it is a major issue. Especially if you have options.

13c. Yes we have the @MUNBotGarden but we need something enclosed for winter and at a much larger scale, so that thousands can enjoy it at a time. I propose we fully enclose @BannermanPark1 with a dome to create a year-round green space. That would really help.

13c. If people get interested in this idea I'll be happy to do a technical design study on this. Maybe engage with Fougere Menchenton Architecture. I think it would be less expensive than people think, certainly less than a hockey arena.

Overall my point is this. If we really want to solve the #tech issue here in #newfoundland we have think differently, act quicker than others and do things differently. We need some creative thinkers and thought leaders to propose and lead radical new ideas to make tech work here

Ordinary thinking and effort will get us ordinary results, extraordinary thinking and effort is needed for extraordinary results.

14. Create a pension plan for technology entrepreneurs. Sure most hope to rely on making a successful company, but decreasing the risk in failure will ensure more attempts to launch ventures.