In Guatemala City, Campus Tec, a single tech firm building, shows early signs of promise for the city's "Silicon Valley dream."
"Many of the companies inside, under exposed air ducts meant to signify Important Creative Work, were founded by Guatemalans with foreign experience. The motion graphics start-up on the seventh floor, BigoMo, consisted of two people: one, Pedro Méndez, 28, had worked in Spain; the other, Kristoffer Hormander, 25, recently returned from three years at Full Sail University outside Orlando, Fla.
Both said that they came back to Guatemala because they felt there were more opportunities for creativity, and less competition for business. One recent independent report, from The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, found that the average cost to start a business in Guatemala is only $7,569, compared with $17,513 in Brazil and $39,670 in Costa Rica."
FULL STORY: A Silicon Valley Dream Grows in Guatemala, Despite the Risks
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.
Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?
Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.
Southern Californians Survey Trees for Destructive Oak Pest
Hundreds of volunteers across five counties participated in the first Goldspotted Oak Borer Blitz, surveying oak trees for signs of the invasive beetle and contributing valuable data to help protect Southern California’s native woodlands.
Opinion: How Geothermal HVAC Lowers Costs, Improves Grid Resilience
Geothermal heating and cooling systems can reduce energy costs and dramatically improve efficiency.
Tenant Screening: A Billion-Dollar Industry with Little Oversight. What’s Being Done to Protect Renters?
Reports show that the data tenant screening companies use is often riddled with errors and relies on information that has no bearing on whether someone will be a good tenant.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
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