Because of people like Zack Miller, Norfolk came out of nowhere," Reiser says. Miller is managing director of Hatch, a startup accelerator that launched in late 2011 and has attracted talent from around the country. Miller also runs the Start Norfolk weekend, which brings together the tech set to come up with a viable new business. These events, along with Tech-N-Eggs, Code for America and Maker Faire, feed the community's new-business pipeline.
When these entrepreneurs aren't hunkered down in an office they're usually hanging out on Granby Street. "Every startup community needs a location where serendipity can happen--that's Granby Street for Norfolk," Reiser says. "Having the beach nearby helps, too."