

Can a startup be successful outside of "tech hub" cities? (SF, NYC, BOS) - throwaway40

Considering a move out of one of these cities and wondering if that spells doom for my dreams of starting a company. Any suggestions/feedback would be appreciated.
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mindcrime
Yes, of course it can. Consider the alternative statement "No startup can
succeed outside of (SF,NYC,BOS)." It only takes one counter-example to
disprove that statement. Can you find one startup that launched outside of
those cities that succeeded? Ok, done.

Now the bigger question "does operating in one of 'those cities' have
advantages?" or "is it _easier_ to succeed as a startup in one of 'those
cities'?" is a different issue. Certainly there are reasons why so many
startups come from certain areas. But if you really are wanting a binary
"yes/no" answer to "Can I - at least theoretically - succeed somewhere else"
then there's really no question. Yes, it's been done [1] and it's being done.

FWIW, I'll point you to some examples of the kind of stuff that's going on in
one area (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/RTP, NC) that's outside of the
traditional "tech hub" areas you mention:

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2233892>

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2233666>

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2129698>

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2222813>

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2116846>

<http://meetup.com/RTP-Hackers-Founders/>

<http://www.meetup.com/lsc-rtp>

<http://southcap.eventbrite.com/>

<http://eseriesmarch2011.eventbrite.com/>

<http://www.joysticklabs.com/>

<http://www.launchboxdigital.com/>

[http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/07/21/590526/american-
tobac...](http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/07/21/590526/american-tobacco-
gives-startups.html)

[http://blogs.newsobserver.com/business/five-companies-
join-a...](http://blogs.newsobserver.com/business/five-companies-join-
american-tobaccos-basement-space-for-startups)

<http://www.vcic.unc.edu/>

And just for a little additional context:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Triangle_(North_Carolina)>

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_Triangle_Park>

[1]: <http://www.redhat.com> \- maybe the best known of the Triangle area
startups from over the years.

And NC is just one area that has a lot going for it, outside of Boston, NYC,
Bay area... there are plenty of places you can launch a startup, you'll just
need to do your research and evaluate the relative merits and advantages and
disadvantages of them. One example of a disadvantage frequently cited here in
the Triangle NC area is that it's generally considered harder to raise Angel /
VC money here than out West or in Boston / NYC. It _is_ possible of course,
it's just harder.

------
eengstrom
Perhaps you've already seen this:

[http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/14/can-you-really-build-a-
grea...](http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/14/can-you-really-build-a-great-tech-
firm-outside-silicon-valley/)

I am currently investigating two cities away from my home in San Francisco.

~~~
mindcrime
Suster makes a good point, there are interesting assets outside of Silicon
Valley. And to spin off from one of his own points, about the content industry
being centered around Hollywood, I'll just throw this out there:

[http://www.essortment.com/film-industry-city-wilmington-
nort...](http://www.essortment.com/film-industry-city-wilmington-north-
carolina-33166.html)

<http://www.wilmingtonfilm.com/>

<http://www.ncfilm.com/>

Believe it or not, but NC (Wilmington and Southeast NC in particular) have a
thriving film industry. So if you're looking to do something that requires
people with skillsets around filming, there's a whole other world here on the
East coast that can provide that.

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maxbrown
As a Chicago native and presently being at school in Ann Arbor, MI, I can tell
you that there are definitely opportunities in other cities.

------
maxbrown
It would certainly be easier to answer you if you had specific places you were
thinking of!

------
Mz
I guess it depends on your definition of "doom". You can start a company
anywhere. The "tech hubs" are just places where it has better odds of going
big (very, very big).

Why are you considering moving? What are you looking for, either personally or
professionally, in a new location? You might get better feedback if folks had
a little more to go on.

