Charlotte Tech News

[sclark]

11 minutes ago, atlrvr said:

I'm 95% certain the only "Charlotte" site considered was in Fort Mill, which was on the short list.

I'd be very surprised if Apple chose Charlotte over the Triangle. It's so much better of a cultural fit. Also, as someone who makes their living supporting Apple tech, I'm thrilled to welcome them to our state. 

[KJHburg]

Kingsmen Software in one of the oldest buildings within the  uptown loop the 1880 Charlotte Cotton Mills on N Graham. 

http://cmhpf.org/S&Rs Alphabetical Order/surveys&rcharlottecotton.htm

What Kingsmen does in the fintech world 

http://kingsmensoftware.com/

Edited May 21, 2018 by KJHburg

[tarhoosier]

That mill is remembered by some Charlotteans as Speizman industries which used it for the manufacturing of double knit polyester textile machinery. If you lived through the doubleknit era it was truly a wild ride. It bankrupted the company though it did not kill it. Story here:

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/speizman-industries-inc-history/

In the early 70's the building was painted green with giant double knit designs on the brick wall all along Graham street. It was colorful and a bit educational and a prediction of disaster, all in one.

[pgsinger]

33 minutes ago, tarhoosier said:

That mill is remembered by some Charlotteans as Speizman industries which used it for the manufacturing of double knit polyester textile machinery. If you lived through the doubleknit era it was truly a wild ride. It bankrupted the company though it did not kill it. Story here:

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/speizman-industries-inc-history/

In the early 70's the building was painted green with giant double knit designs on the brick wall all along Graham street. It was colorful and a bit educational and a prediction of disaster, all in one.

That mill is remembered by some Charlotteans as CANS which used it for the best post-Panthers home game celebrations. If you lived through the CANS era it was truly a wild ride. It bankrupted the soul though it did not kill it.

[tarhoosier]

Yes, I remember CANS. When Duke merged with Cinergy, (HQ in Cincinnati) the Cinergy chief Jim Rogers took over Duke and moved here. His first residence was in the building behind CANS. He was quoted as discovering the "active night life" of Charlotte before he moved to Piedmont Row in South Park. I cannot find the reference for this with my search terms but I recall the quote well. He did not cite CANS by name.

[HighRiseHillbilly]

3 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

Yes, I remember CANS. When Duke merged with Cinergy, (HQ in Cincinnati) the Cinergy chief Jim Rogers took over Duke and moved here. His first residence was in the building behind CANS. He was quoted as discovering the "active night life" of Charlotte before he moved to Piedmont Row in South Park. I cannot find the reference for this with my search terms but I recall the quote well. He did not cite CANS by name.

There's nothing more active and exciting than a small cluster of restaurants that regularly goes black after 8:30 PM.

[KJHburg]

From one of my favorite local tech upstarts Passport and here are their new offices atop the First Citizens Bank Plaza 

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/05/22/charlotte-software-company-passport-settles-into.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=article_du&ed=2018-05-22&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1527021607&j=81733901

[KJHburg]

ESRI Calfornia based spatial analytics expanding its Charlotte office up in Waverly.  Not sure about employment numbers but you don't rent Class AA space like in the building at Waverly for nothing.  another California outpost of West Coast tech firm.   Credit Karma has a growing office in Ballantyne for example. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180522005932/en/

http://gisuser.com/2018/05/esri-opens-additional-office-in-charlotte-north-carolina/

Edited May 24, 2018 by KJHburg

[AP3]

35 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

ESRI Calfornia based spatial analytics opens Charlotte office up in Waverly.  Not sure about employment numbers but you don't rent Class AA space like in the building at Waverly for nothing.  another California outpost of West Coast tech firm.   Credit Karma has a growing office in Ballantyne for example. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180522005932/en/

http://gisuser.com/2018/05/esri-opens-additional-office-in-charlotte-north-carolina/

ESRI has been in Charlotte for some time now - I believe in Arboretum. 

[KJHburg]

2 minutes ago, AP3 said:

ESRI has been in Charlotte for some time now - I believe in Arboretum. 

That is what one article said but they are expanding I guess.  I saw an address for them across from Arboretum on Springbark. 

[AP3]

1 minute ago, KJHburg said:

That is what one article said but they are expanding I guess.  I saw an address for them across from Arboretum on Springbark. 

Oh - didn't read the article before posting!

[KJHburg]

More towns and cities in Bay area including San Francisco are considering head taxes that would affect major employers.  This could lead to more tech companies shifting jobs quietly to places like Charlotte and even Wells a large employer in the Bay area to shift even more jobs this direction.  Companies like Credit Karma that already has an operation here or others could grow even larger.  This will be  interesting to watch and I have always believe some tech companies are way too concentrated in areas that are high cost and spreading employment around the country would be better.  

http://www.nreionline.com/finance-investment/silicon-valley-wants-tax-big-tech-just-seattle-did?NL=NREI-21&Issue=NREI-21_20180524_NREI-21_910&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_3&utm_rid=CPG09000011418910&utm_campaign=14239&utm_medium=email&elq2=85970374c4b741099cadbd3e9b75b277

[cjd5050]

3 hours ago, KJHburg said:

More towns and cities in Bay area including San Francisco are considering head taxes that would affect major employers.  This could lead to more tech companies shifting jobs quietly to places like Charlotte and even Wells a large employer in the Bay area to shift even more jobs this direction.  Companies like Credit Karma that already has an operation here or others could grow even larger.  This will be  interesting to watch and I have always believe some tech companies are way too concentrated in areas that are high cost and spreading employment around the country would be better.  

http://www.nreionline.com/finance-investment/silicon-valley-wants-tax-big-tech-just-seattle-did?NL=NREI-21&Issue=NREI-21_20180524_NREI-21_910&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_3&utm_rid=CPG09000011418910&utm_campaign=14239&utm_medium=email&elq2=85970374c4b741099cadbd3e9b75b277

I don't think $500 per employee per year is enough to make a company move or start staffing elsewhere.   But I wouldn't mind at all if California fell into the ocean.  

No if Mountain View started hammering property taxes on these companies and their campuses, that's a different story.  

[KJHburg]

Corvid Technologies broke ground on their new headquarters today that will house 367 jobs compared to their workforce of 145 in Mooresville.  

from the Business Journal subscriber article https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/05/24/iredell-it-headquarters-seen-as-catalyst-for-1b.html

""Corvid works out complicated computer simulations for the Department of Defense, NASCAR and others that determine the best scenarios without expending the customers’ resources. The computer simulations determine such things as how to most effectively explode a warhead without actually detonating it.  Cooper says North Carolina needs even more high-tech companies like Corvid to stay in the state. “We are in a race for innovation,” he says.   Corvid considered moving to Oklahoma where a major investor, the Chickasaw Nation, is based. But it picked its hometown instead.""

Interesting about the Chickasaws.  

^^^ In  terms of head taxes as proposed in Silicon Valley I think it will cause all tech companies to grow operations in other areas around the country and I think that will include NC. 

Edited May 24, 2018 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

Here is a story about ESRI new office in Waverly it is an expansion and I did not know they already had that many employees in Charlotte.   https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/05/29/gis-software-company-opens-second-charlotte-office.html?ana=e_ae_set3&s=article_du&ed=2018-05-29&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1527621891&j=81841801

[KJHburg]

Charlotte's growing tech scene has attracted a patent law firm from Raleigh.  https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/05/29/patent-law-firm-sets-sights-on-charlottes-growing.html?ana=twt

[pgsinger]

10 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Charlotte's growing tech scene has attracted a patent law firm from Raleigh.  https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/05/29/patent-law-firm-sets-sights-on-charlottes-growing.html?ana=twt

This is good news, but many may not be aware that Charlotte has a fairly sizable IP law practice.  For example, about half of Alston & Bird's >100 attorneys practice IP, including patent law.  Patent Law is a very specialized practice area that even requires its own bar exam and technical undergrad, grad, or similar education.

[KJHburg]

""Charlotte-based technology startup Stratifyd was recently recognized by Gartner Inc. (NYSE: IT) as a 2018 Cool Vendor in Analytics.  Stratifyd, a provider of artificial intelligence data-analytics solutions, was one of three companies from around the globe selected in this category. The other two, Outlier AI Inc. and Stories, hail from California and the Czech Republic, respectively.""

Business Journal article subscriber https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/06/04/how-recent-recognition-for-this-charlotte-tech.html?ana=twt

They employ 35 here in Charlotte and have a 10,000 sq ft office in the Foundry on S Cedar St and they are hiring.  

[KJHburg]

Charlotte Tech rising.  

From Business Journal this morning

""ThreatSwitch, a security-and-compliance software startup based out of Charlotte, recently closed a $1.2 million investment round led by VentureSouth, an angel investment network.""

VentureSouth invests in early stage startups mainly in the southeast and is headed by Mac Lackey Charlotte entrepreneur. 

""Lackey says the Queen City is starting to build a reputation as a go-to spot for startups, especially in this region of the country.  "I think Charlotte is emerging as a city that is producing these ... early-stage, high-growth companies," he says. "The companies that we’re seeing now have demonstrable traction."""

subscriber article https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/06/27/charlotte-software-startup-secures-1-2m-investment.html?ana=e_mc_prem&s=newsletter&ed=2018-06-27&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1530106991&j=82386201

[KJHburg]

AvidXchange is opening additional office in Sandy Utah and plans to hire 200 there locally but also says 2nd building in Charlotte will be done by end of 2019 which means it will have to start very soon.  https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/06/27/avidxchange-opens-second-u-s-headquarters-in-35m.html

[CharlotteWkndBuzz]

9 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

AvidXchange is opening additional office in Sandy Utah and plans to hire 200 there locally but also says 2nd building in Charlotte will be done by end of 2019 which means it will have to start very soon.  https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/06/27/avidxchange-opens-second-u-s-headquarters-in-35m.html

Yes, they have been doing soil core sampling in the parking lot the last couple of weeks where the HQ2 will be.  I think the back gravel lot where Moo n Brew is setup, would be a good spot for a hotel (I heard of this rumor a long time ago).

[KJHburg]

16 minutes ago, CharlotteWkndBuzz said:

Yes, they have been doing soil core sampling in the parking lot the last couple of weeks where the HQ2 will be.  I think the back gravel lot where Moo n Brew is setup, would be a good spot for a hotel (I heard of this rumor a long time ago).

thanks for that saves me a trip to snoop around over there.  a 6 story building like they will build is about 18 month completion date.  

It is a great that a Charlotte based tech company is establishing an office in the west too instead of a western based company putting a foothold here.  Metro Salt Lake is a huge tech center with lots of California companies expanding there but most of the customers are east of the Mississippi thus Charlotte is a great place for their firms.  Like Credit Karma who has a growing office in Ballantyne.  I think once Apple announces they are coming to the RTP you are going to see more west coast tech firms setting up shop in NC both here and RTP area.  

[Cadi40]

Charlotte is truly becoming a hub for banking and tech/start-ups. 

[KJHburg]

Yet another Charlotte FinTech success story.  Story about PrecisionLending a banking analytics consultant tech firm.  

From the Business Journal subscriber article   https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/07/05/how-this-charlotte-fintech-firm-is-driving-100.html?ana=e_du_prem&s=article_du&ed=2018-07-05&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1530821799&j=82534861

""With about 150 employees just in Charlotte (including co-founder and president Ken Garcia) — which marks a 50% increase since the beginning of the year — and more than 200 commercial banks as clients, PrecisionLender now plans to open new offices in New York and London. Other offices are in Chicago, Dallas and Australia, while Ryden is based in Cary.""

""PrecisionLender also entered the realm of artificial intelligence in late 2016, when it began developing Andi, a virtual analyst that helps banking teams price deals and maximize their profitability. Andi launched in 2017. Ryden says most of the company's product-development team is based in Cary, while Charlotte is the hub for banking clients. The two-city operating model came about by chance, as Ryden says neither he nor Garcia wanted to move. He hopes to diversify the talent in both locations and grow the Charlotte employee base to 180 people by the end of the year.""

https://precisionlender.com/

Office seems to be in the SouthPark area.  

 

[KJHburg]

another Charlotte tech startup raises funds. NetSanity  https://www.wraltechwire.com/2018/07/06/charlotte-startup-netsanity-raises-nearly-700k-from-seven-investors/

Here is what they do   https://netsanity.net/

Based in Ballantyne.