---
title: 'Watching the Watcher watching Portland'
date: '2008-01-24T13:31:01-08:00'
type: post
word_count: 307
char_count: 1910
tokens: 400
categories:
  - Lunarr
  - Oregon
  - Portland
  - PortlandOnFire
  - SiliconForest
---

# Watching the Watcher watching Portland

Tom Foremski of [Silicon Valley Watcher](http://www.siliconvalleywatcher.com "Silicon Valley Watcher") has a recent post that touches on an [interview with Hideshi Hamaguchi and Toru Takasuka](http://www.siliconvalleywatcher.com/mt/archives/2008/01/portlands_high_1.php "interview with Hideshi Hamaguchi and Toru Takasuka") of Portland-based startup [Lunarr](http://lunarr.com "Lunarr"). (You may also remember Hideshi for his presentation, “[How to live like Japanese in Portland](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKw6MlZu29Q "How to live like Japanese in Portland")” at the first [Ignite Portland](http://igniteportland.com "Ignite Portland").)

What struck me about “Portland’s High Tech Community And The Space To Think” was this little gem:

> When I met with them four months ago, I asked why did they choose Portland as the home base for Lunarr, why not Silicon Valley? After all, there are many companies moving to Silicon Valley every day/week to become part of the great conversation that goes on here.
> 
> They said that Portland allowed them to think.

Yes, I know it’s in the headline, too. I get that. I’m just a little dense. Apparently, *I* need more time to think.

The post also touches on [Portland on Fire](http://portlandonfire.com "Portland on Fire"), Raven Zachary’s side project that introduces us to one interesting Portlander a day. A side project which, coincidentally, is always looking for new folks to profile. [So head on over there, and participate](http://www.portlandonfire.com/participate/ "Participate in Portland on Fire").

To read the post in its entirety—and to learn why Portland may be a better place for startups than the Valley—visit “[Portland’s High Tech Community And The Space To Think](http://www.siliconvalleywatcher.com/mt/archives/2008/01/portlands_high_1.php "Portland's High Tech Community and the Space to Think")“