Comments on: Should you move your startup to the Valley? Depends on where you are (Data included!) http://www.tonywright.com/2009/should-you-move-your-startup-to-the-valley-depends-on-where-you-are-data-included/ Pathologically Entrepreneurial Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:28:00 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: clinicaltrials http://www.tonywright.com/2009/should-you-move-your-startup-to-the-valley-depends-on-where-you-are-data-included/comment-page-1/#comment-1557 clinicaltrials Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:54:44 +0000 http://www.tonywright.com/?p=142#comment-1557 If you move to CA for your 50% increase in chance you have to factor in how the expense of moving will limit you cash flow If you move to CA for your 50% increase in chance you have to factor in how the expense of moving will limit you cash flow

]]> By: Michael Dunham http://www.tonywright.com/2009/should-you-move-your-startup-to-the-valley-depends-on-where-you-are-data-included/comment-page-1/#comment-1556 Michael Dunham Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:45:45 +0000 http://www.tonywright.com/?p=142#comment-1556 There's always the PWC Money Tree <a href="https://www.pwcmoneytree.com/MTPublic/ns/nav.jsp?page=region" rel="nofollow">https://www.pwcmoneytree.com/MTPublic/ns/nav.js...</a> - it's more about the funding end - but interesting There's always the PWC Money Tree https://www.pwcmoneytree.com/MTPublic/ns/nav.js... – it's more about the funding end – but interesting

]]> By: Array http://www.tonywright.com/2009/should-you-move-your-startup-to-the-valley-depends-on-where-you-are-data-included/comment-page-1/#comment-1555 Array Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:40:26 +0000 http://www.tonywright.com/?p=142#comment-1555 Actually, I remember Bellevue :) was called number one of 100 best places to live and launch new business.<br><br><a href="http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fsb/0803/gallery.best_places_to_launch.fsb/index.html" rel="nofollow">http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fsb/0803/ga...</a> Actually, I remember Bellevue :) was called number one of 100 best places to live and launch new business.

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fsb/0803/ga...

]]> By: webwright http://www.tonywright.com/2009/should-you-move-your-startup-to-the-valley-depends-on-where-you-are-data-included/comment-page-1/#comment-1554 webwright Sat, 13 Jun 2009 05:37:09 +0000 http://www.tonywright.com/?p=142#comment-1554 I don't recall ever defining success in that post, or any other. But one<br>measure of success is certainly having a line of previously-spurned buyers<br>waiting in line when you're ready to move on.<br><br>Regardless, whether you or I define an exit as the target isn't really the<br>question. Every single early stage investor defines it that way and a large<br>percentage of entrepreneurs want to eventually sell their company and move<br>onto other things. When you're ready to move onto other things, liquidity<br>is very common measure of success. Which is not to say that building to<br>flip is a smart path. That data doesn't talk about the truth of exits--<br>which is that the vast majority of exits aren't 1-2 year flips. The<br>idea-to-exit-in-18-months bullshit isn't the norm. Most companies that are<br>bought in this world are real (and oftentimes profitable) businesses that<br>have been built and run for many years.<br><br>The truth is that success is complicated and subjective, which is why you<br>won't see me trying to define it any time soon. I don't recall ever defining success in that post, or any other. But one
measure of success is certainly having a line of previously-spurned buyers
waiting in line when you're ready to move on.

Regardless, whether you or I define an exit as the target isn't really the
question. Every single early stage investor defines it that way and a large
percentage of entrepreneurs want to eventually sell their company and move
onto other things. When you're ready to move onto other things, liquidity
is very common measure of success. Which is not to say that building to
flip is a smart path. That data doesn't talk about the truth of exits–
which is that the vast majority of exits aren't 1-2 year flips. The
idea-to-exit-in-18-months bullshit isn't the norm. Most companies that are
bought in this world are real (and oftentimes profitable) businesses that
have been built and run for many years.

The truth is that success is complicated and subjective, which is why you
won't see me trying to define it any time soon.

]]> By: MarinaMartin http://www.tonywright.com/2009/should-you-move-your-startup-to-the-valley-depends-on-where-you-are-data-included/comment-page-1/#comment-1553 MarinaMartin Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:38:50 +0000 http://www.tonywright.com/?p=142#comment-1553 Okay, I won't quibble with your dataset, but I will quibble with your definition of success. I'd die before I sold a company of mine to Yahoo or Google; it's like volunteering your seven-year-old child for ritual Mayan sacrifice. (Yea, I realize that walking away from many millions would be difficult, but if I'm not seeking a buyer, I'd never be in the theoretical position of being able to refuse.) If profit is your sole incentive, then sure, acquisition is the ideal, but I'm not putting in 90-hour weeks to watch my hard work be killed (Dodgeball, Jaiku) or irreparably maimed (Flickr). A better success metric would be "still operating and in the black after five years" regardless of acquisition. Okay, I won't quibble with your dataset, but I will quibble with your definition of success. I'd die before I sold a company of mine to Yahoo or Google; it's like volunteering your seven-year-old child for ritual Mayan sacrifice. (Yea, I realize that walking away from many millions would be difficult, but if I'm not seeking a buyer, I'd never be in the theoretical position of being able to refuse.) If profit is your sole incentive, then sure, acquisition is the ideal, but I'm not putting in 90-hour weeks to watch my hard work be killed (Dodgeball, Jaiku) or irreparably maimed (Flickr). A better success metric would be “still operating and in the black after five years” regardless of acquisition.

]]> By: bobv http://www.tonywright.com/2009/should-you-move-your-startup-to-the-valley-depends-on-where-you-are-data-included/comment-page-1/#comment-1552 bobv Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:37:34 +0000 http://www.tonywright.com/?p=142#comment-1552 NY and NJ are really the same place. You're basically separating a city from its suburbs. NY and NJ are really the same place. You're basically separating a city from its suburbs.

]]> By: Ben Kuo http://www.tonywright.com/2009/should-you-move-your-startup-to-the-valley-depends-on-where-you-are-data-included/comment-page-1/#comment-1550 Ben Kuo Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:19:22 +0000 http://www.tonywright.com/?p=142#comment-1550 Our numbers say Silicon Valley = 6.2% acquisition rate, Southern California (LA/San Diego) = 9.0% acquisition rate. We already track the two areas separately (<a href="http://www.silicontap.com" rel="nofollow">www.silicontap.com</a> = Silicon Valley, <a href="http://www.socaltech.com" rel="nofollow">www.socaltech.com</a> = Southern California).<br><br>Due to our tracking/historical I believe Southern California is probably very accurate (we've got 10+ years of data), Silicon Valley not as much. Our numbers say Silicon Valley = 6.2% acquisition rate, Southern California (LA/San Diego) = 9.0% acquisition rate. We already track the two areas separately (http://www.silicontap.com = Silicon Valley, http://www.socaltech.com = Southern California).

Due to our tracking/historical I believe Southern California is probably very accurate (we've got 10+ years of data), Silicon Valley not as much.

]]> By: blah http://www.tonywright.com/2009/should-you-move-your-startup-to-the-valley-depends-on-where-you-are-data-included/comment-page-1/#comment-1551 blah Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:18:37 +0000 http://www.tonywright.com/?p=142#comment-1551 In this page, theres a Tony trivia "Currently bouncing around between Silicon Valley and Seattle, WA."<br>If valley isnt a big deal, why bother bouncing? In this page, theres a Tony trivia “Currently bouncing around between Silicon Valley and Seattle, WA.”
If valley isnt a big deal, why bother bouncing?

]]> By: webwright http://www.tonywright.com/2009/should-you-move-your-startup-to-the-valley-depends-on-where-you-are-data-included/comment-page-1/#comment-1549 webwright Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:13:12 +0000 http://www.tonywright.com/?p=142#comment-1549 That'd be interesting, but it'd require some map research or some geocoding<br>work. I believe Crunchbase has city info, but I don't know the location of<br>all of the suburbs of the big two (who the heck knows where Santa Milano or<br>Los Fractos or San Barbarino are? I sure as heck don't off the top of my<br>head). That'd be interesting, but it'd require some map research or some geocoding
work. I believe Crunchbase has city info, but I don't know the location of
all of the suburbs of the big two (who the heck knows where Santa Milano or
Los Fractos or San Barbarino are? I sure as heck don't off the top of my
head).

]]> By: Gene http://www.tonywright.com/2009/should-you-move-your-startup-to-the-valley-depends-on-where-you-are-data-included/comment-page-1/#comment-1548 Gene Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:07:31 +0000 http://www.tonywright.com/?p=142#comment-1548 For CA, can you break out by SF-Bay Area versus LA & San Diego? For CA, can you break out by SF-Bay Area versus LA & San Diego?

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