great thinking...on a different note -just would like to know PG's perspective on kelly felix a.k.a. rich jerk and likes !!
Why to Move to a Startup Hub
71–80 of 96 posts
Re: Why to Move to a Startup Hub
#72What is the closest to Sillicon Valley there's in Europe?
Probably London.
Re: Why to Move to a Startup Hub
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
>>>Fremont, a spiritually crushing place. I remember trying to make the more than 1 hour drive from there to SF, and then back again... just to spend a few hours in a the nice city. Yes, I'd rather live in Munich. This is a huge topic and it affects the entire USA. Our whole country is stupid automobile sprawl. "The greatest mis-allocation of resources in the history of mankind."
I agree, a lot of the US is pretty awful. I'm not sure that this is specific to the US, though - I think it's specific to places that were largely built after WWII. The outskirts of european cities are generally pretty soulless, too. But since most of the European cities were built before the automobile, they've avoided this truly depressing problem. I really doubt it has all that much to do with Europeans being part…
I concur.
There are two possible future outcomes I can think of.
1. We have an oil crisis, and cities return to the way they used to be, over the course of time.
2. Alternative energies gracefully take the place of oil, there is no crisis, and things continue as they have been.
Oddly, the crisis outcome is more appealing.
Re: Why to Move to a Startup Hub
#74I think College towns with a progressive culture but with few companies to absorb the graduating students are best for startups, eg: Ann Arbor
Re: Why to Move to a Startup Hub
#75I think College towns with a progressive culture but with few companies to absorb the graduating students are best for startups, eg: Ann Arbor
That's like saying you should plant a tree where few others are growing.
Re: Why to Move to a Startup Hub
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
PG's point about non-Silicon Valley VCs not knowing their stuff as well is a good one, but your point helps bolster the other side of the argument. New York may be underrated as a startup hub, for the reason you cite. According to Wikipedia, "though it is not often thought of as a 'College Town', there are about 594,000 university students in New York City, the highest number of any city in the United States." Simila…
not sure about that, but i can say that new york is an ugly city, and i'm happy it's not a technology hub
There are definitely people out there who cannot stand New York for a minute. These are the people who associate it much more with the city of Taxi Driver and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles than the one of Annie Hall.
Re: Why to Move to a Startup Hub
#77Earlier quoted context omitted.
I agree, a lot of the US is pretty awful. I'm not sure that this is specific to the US, though - I think it's specific to places that were largely built after WWII. The outskirts of european cities are generally pretty soulless, too. But since most of the European cities were built before the automobile, they've avoided this truly depressing problem. I really doubt it has all that much to do with Europeans being part…
I concur. There are two possible future outcomes I can think of. 1. We have an oil crisis, and cities return to the way they used to be, over the course of time. 2. Alternative energies gracefully take the place of oil, there is no crisis, and things continue as they have been. Oddly, the crisis outcome is more appealing.
In the "good old days", a smaller fraction of the population lived in major metro centers than does now.
Re: Why to Move to a Startup Hub
#78I'm a cofounder of a startup in the Los Angeles area (YellowBot in Burbank, CA). I believe that although your location has an impact on how well or how fast your company can make it, the people behind it has an even greater impact. The quality of people you choose is a much larger factor than your geographic location.
Re: Why to Move to a Startup Hub
#79Paul,
Great essay as always :)
"Seeming like they will fund you one day is the way investors say No."
We learned this the hard way - by expending our energy and enthusiasm on an investor who really was saying no. Hope the new startups remember this.
Praki
Re: Why to Move to a Startup Hub
#80I won't try to disagree with the advantages mentioned about Silicon Valley. However, I think there are equally important reasons to live in the UK or in Europe: namely, the quality of life, the way the cities are designed, the public transportation, the people's attitudes. I am an American who prefers Europe and I hope to move over there one day. Silicon Valley is a wasteland. Try riding your bike somewhere. Try stro…
> Try riding your bike somewhere.
You're kidding, right? Silicon Valley has the best year round cycling anywhere, and some of the best cycling, period. Maybe Switzerland in the summer is better, but that's about it (and it frequently rains in the summer in Switzerland). I lived in Silicon Valley without a car for 7 years. It's flat, and by drawing a 16 mile radius around my apartment in Sunnyvale, I can hit nearly every important tech startup of any consequence.
The quality of life in Silicon Valley sucks if your idea of fun is visiting bars, going to rock concerts, or top quality museums. For people for whom outdoor life is important, Silicon Valley is great. I regularly run into famous outdoorsy types (Brian Robinson, Jacquie Phelan, Jobst Brandt, Tom Ritchey) just by riding around in the area. On my cycling trips around here, I've met the former VP of IT at Adaptec, the VP of Engineering at Portal Player, etc.
And much as you might want it to be true, Fremont isn't Silicon Valley. Neither is Redwood City.