---
title: 'What makes the Portland startup scene special? Mat Ellis of Cloudability has a few ideas'
date: '2013-02-01T10:11:53-08:00'
type: post
word_count: 272
char_count: 1661
tokens: 354
categories:
  - Oregon
  - Portland
  - Startups
tags:
  - cloudability
  - 'mat ellis'
  - Portland
  - Startup
---

# What makes the Portland startup scene special? Mat Ellis of Cloudability has a few ideas

You get to hear me blather on and on about the awesomeness that is the Portland startup scene. And perhaps unfortunately for you, I have no plans of stopping any time soon. But it is nice to hear what other folks think. Enter [Mat Ellis](http://twitter.com/matellis "Mat Ellis"), cofounder and CEO of Portland startup [Cloudability](http://cloudability.com "Cloudability").

Mat recently [penned a piece on the Portland startup scene](http://blogs.wsj.com/accelerators/2013/02/01/how-could-the-valley-be-any-better/ "How Could the Valley be any Better?") for a little publication called the *Wall Street Journal*. And here’s what he had to say:

> Over the past few years, many of the factors that make the Valley a great place for startups to thrive have come to Portland. The rise of the cloud has leveled the playing field by making world-hosting facilities and staff available anywhere. Advances in broadband and group working tools have also made doing business over long distances more viable.

> One factor that seems unique to Portland is networking: quite simply, Portlanders are world class at it. Locals describe it as the pioneer spirit: Help your neighbor as you’ll never know when you’ll need their help. Whatever it is, sometimes it feels like the whole city is cheering us on.

And that’s not all. He’s got a lot of other awesome insights about what makes Portland special.

For more, read Mat’s [How could the Valley be any better?](http://blogs.wsj.com/accelerators/2013/02/01/how-could-the-valley-be-any-better/ "How could the Valley be any better?")