HN Explorer

Ask HN: If you had to choose a place to start a startup today where would it be?

13 points by Kareem71 ↗ HN
Does startup location matter as much anymore?

For years yc has touted that it was critical to be located in silicon valley but things seem to be changing.

Still the biggest tech companies seem to be located in the U.S.A and more specifically the valley, will that change in the next 10 years?

15 comments

[ 2.7 ms ] story [ 49.2 ms ] thread
r_singh
For me, India is one of the best place as it has a HUGE online population, growing spending capacity, quite a large number of huge problems to be solved (for e.g. there isn’t even good Adult ADD care available in India in 2020, many many more probs) and a good number of decent tech workers (rising number of great tech workers).

Pardon awkward brevity, using mobile.

mikecoles
If it's online, South Dakota, the business friendly state.
AnimalMuppet
You say "the" like it's uniquely business friendly. If so, what makes it more business friendly than any other state?

Even if that isn't what you meant, could you expand a bit on what makes it "business friendly"?

wiseleo
No income tax on business or personal income. You can become the state’s resident after spending just one night in a hotel and opening a bank account. That’s partially why it’s highly favored by RVers who choose to longer have a permanent home.

There’s opportunity to modify the state’s politics. ;)

I am likely going to set my HQ in that state.

whb07
Don't do that. Don't move to an area and taint the books with laws that ruined the place you came from.
mrfusion
I agree. Be humble. Try to understand the existing laws and customs before you come in and try to make changes.
giantg2
Tell that to the politicians.
codegeek
Genuinely curious. Tell us more.
cpach
“(…) will that change in the next 10 years?”

As someone living in Europe, I hope so! But I wouldn’t bet on it. Silicon Valley/USA is way ahead of us when it comes to tech/startups.

codingdave
If you are doing a "startup", there are benefits to being near SV for the VCs and talent who want that life. If you are just wanting to start aomething new and not seeking the YC/VC model, choose whichever town makes you happy.

What I expect to change over the next 10 years is an increasing number of people making the latter choice.

samfisher83
How many years have people been saying startups would move. It was silicon hills or silicon alley or some other ppace, but it seems to always be sv.
Kareem71
Something about the entire covid-19/WFH situation makes me feel as if this time may be different
muzani
A lot of investors, including Sam Altman, have said that SV isn't the best place anymore. It's not worth it for them to move out, but I doubt they'd do SV now if they had a choice. SV was popular because as Paul Graham said, everyone was optimistic and always smiling, but this really isn't the case anymore.
giantg2
My basement.

I'd like to think location matters less and less these days, but there's a lot of stereotyping and group-think to overcome.

auganov
IMO as an individual the best is to either go to SV or stay home.

By moving to some other location you get all the downsides of migrating, few upsides of the best location and no upsides of staying home.