from Hacker News

The best city to start a company

by irollboozers on 12/12/13, 6:49 PM with 7 comments

  • by edw519 on 12/12/13, 7:56 PM

    Forget "the best city", and find the right city for you.

    TheRightCityForYou === WhereeverYoureAtRightNow

    BuildingSomethingNow > (Thinking | Planning | Networking | ...)

  • by sputknick on 12/12/13, 7:46 PM

    Location still matters simply because of the different networks. Location also matters based on the type of business you are targeting. If you want to target financial services you are much more likely to be successful in New York than in Cleveland.

    Also let me chime in with my recommendation. If you dont care about what industry, or type of product you are delivering Washington DC is the best place to build a business. Especially if you are a woman, minority, or veteran (they all get preference in government contracting).

  • by BrownBuffalo on 12/12/13, 8:05 PM

    Detroit - there has been a lot of local / regional incentives and because of the mismanagement and disdane for the unions, it's offered up a strong sector replacement - list of start-ups in the Motor City: http://www.growdetroit.com/detroit-startup-list/

  • by bsirkia on 12/12/13, 7:50 PM

    I agree, all the metrics comparing best cities doesn't mean much if you don't know a single person in those communities. What do you think of the advice to live in-proximity (an hour or so of driving away) of the city with your biggest network, but not necessarily right in the expensive part? I don't know the San Fran satellite areas, but for NYC it would be living Jersey or out near Long Island, where the rent is half or a quarter that of Manhattan but still within striking distance to take meetings or go to networking events in the city.

  • by tannerc on 12/12/13, 7:49 PM

    While I agree wholeheartedly, I can't help but feel that investors still cherish face-to-face availability over the occasional Skype or message conversation. If funding is your business route, anyway.

    The network impact on startup success is undoubtedly important, but so is keeping investors happy. And where are all the big investors these days?

    Besides, who would you trust more with your money: someone who you know is available to physically run over and meet you at any instant, or someone half-way across the world who can only talk when wifi is working?

  • by carsongross on 12/12/13, 7:41 PM

    Sacramento, California, natch. Where all the cool kids are.