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Ask HN: Where in Bay Area are early stage startups and entrepreneurial ppl?

8 points by plasticplanet ↗ HN
Where should I live in the "Bay Area" to be closest to the people who are working on early stage startups, or just be around people who are entrepreneurial minded?

I've only ever been there a couple of times, both times to the San Jose area for work. Most of the vibe I got was that it is mostly families and suburb, amidst a myriad of massive corporate campuses. Is this area mostly full of more mature, established companies?

Where can I find a big concentration of like-minded people and early stage startups? As for me I'm a software engineer professionally and I got excited about startups and the bay area after discovering some podcasts involving startup founders or VCs, or general business/interview discussions during the height of the pandemic. I'd definitely like to try this as the next challenge, more than continue to work at a big company.

8 comments

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SMVS
There in Austin, Texas
SolubleSnake
Probably not there? Starting a business is expensive. Why would anyone in their right mind do it in California?
highhedgehog
Interesting. For me as a complete outsider (Italy here) California and the Bay Area specifically is seen as THE place for IT startups. Is that not the case? Or maybe was it just like that in the past but not anymore?
robbyking
The truth of the matter is the Bay Area is a great place for tech companies because of the sheer volume of engineers. The reason so many engineers live in the Bay Area (and a handful of other cities) is (and I say this from experience) it's terrifying being an engineer in a city with only one or two tech companies.

I moved from SF to a smallish city in my late 20's, and I was only able to find one tech job to apply to, and it wasn't even for a technology I already knew. I was offered the position, and spent the next 6 years treading water at a mediocre job because there just weren't any other options: I could either stay at that job, or leave a town I loved.

When my wife and I decided it was time to move (she had just completed her Master's), job opportunity weighed heavily in our decision making process. We had a lot of other considerations (we wouldn't live someplace we didn't like just because it was good for our careers), but we wanted to make sure we at least had multiple options when it came to work, and that is absolutely something the Bay Area provides.

legerdemain
There's lots of startup and "just kicking ideas around" energy all over the city. I hang out a lot at the Atlas Cafe in the Mission, whose owner organizes all kinds of events, talks, presentations, and small hackathons. But there's also lots of energy in meetups for specifically people looking for cofounders, pitching practice, maker spaces, etc.
epelesis
I agree, Silicon Valley (e.g. Mountain View, Santa Clara) is absolutely full of tech talent but the average engineer is mostly interested in and optimizing for work in big tech companies.

SF tends to skew towards smaller tech companies, alongside remote and other cities.

Of course these are just generalizations.

lakotasapa
I'm in silicon valley. True there are plenty of engineers, most you'll find are wannabes with no real skillet as an entrepreneur/startup. They just want to ride on coat tails of someone who knows what where how.

Most capable ppl with startup ambitions already have their connections.

You are far better just soliciting for partners on HN or other startup sites of which there are plenty with plenty also looking to partners.

Hate to sound cynical and/or degrading but moat I've met through meetups and alike groups are all wannabes.

However like anywhere else, there are still plenty like myself who wants to get started on that endeavor too.

I've worked for all the FANNG+M and find all capable ppl have their contacts they trust

The only time you maybe be successful is if you are already funded.

But there is one advantage of doing all that in the Valley; funding is easy. Almost every serious meetups have someone in VC world scouting.

Oh also lawyers who have been there done that to setup you up with term sheets and sound contracts that's been proven.

Reddit is also someone you can maybe find someone.

btw the "it" place(s) to be is Palo Alto and SF.

It as mentioned before breaking in and getting noticed is impossible unless you already got in roads with connected ppl.

Ol adage: It's WHO you know not WHAT you know.

plasticplanet
Thanks! Not cynical at all, because you're right. I hope I can write here a bit.

In my case I'm a self taught software engineer, and since I don't have FANG experience I'm already behind I guess. However, what will always keep me behind is staying in my small town that's 90 minutes from the closest metro, and where there is basically no major tech presence. I do have some decent experience on my belt that includes big companies and a late joiner at a tech unicorn startup.

I don't have millions of dollars saved, but after a small liquidation event I've got close to 110k in my bank account, and another few 100k's in equities/retirement that is my safety net. I know 110k is not a lot in the bay area, but I've already sold most of my things and I'm asset-light in my personal life once I manage to sell the remaining couple pieces of furniture. All I've got is my cat, my laptop, and a suitcase of my clothes lol.

I'm on my last day in SF and I have already made up my mind to move here. Going to try my best to network and build connections. Maybe it will go somewhere, at least there is enough personal runway for me for a couple years if I can live a modest lifestyle. If nothing works out, I will try to get into a FANG or another high-tier company.

Cheers!