> you won’t be able to hire as many similarly talented/experienced people
But we're talking about starting a company. Typically you'll already have a technical co-founder or someone, no? If you grow you can grow to SF. Has no VC ever asked, "Would you be willing to relocate to <CHEAPER CITY> for two years?"
> In 2006, Davis was ranked as the second most educated city (in terms of the percentage of residents with graduate degrees) in the US by CNN Money Magazine...
Have you been there? It's nice. :-) It's close to the Bay Area and has lower costs and UC Davis. (And you don't have to put up with the constant cold winds! It's toasty there all year 'round!)
I don't think you have spent much time in the other Valley: The Central Valley. Cold winters and hot summers...
Winter avg highs are in the 50s (F), and summer avg high are >100°.
I didn't realize Winter got that cold there (but having spent a winter in Colorado I no longer complain about the cold in CA. :-) But Davis gets a lot of sun in Winter. I'd pretty much expect to either: have enough $$$ to afford (to lease or build) a properly architected building that has passive climate control; or NOT have enough and have other concerns than not-quite-perfect climate. I prefer SF's climate(s) to that of the the Central Valley, but it's hardly hellish there. (Unless you're stuck in traffic on the freeway and your car's air conditioner is broken. That is a level of Hell I think.)
But we're talking about starting a company. Typically you'll already have a technical co-founder or someone, no? If you grow you can grow to SF. Has no VC ever asked, "Would you be willing to relocate to <CHEAPER CITY> for two years?"
> And what’s in Davis?
UC Davis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California,_Davi...
> In 2006, Davis was ranked as the second most educated city (in terms of the percentage of residents with graduate degrees) in the US by CNN Money Magazine...
~https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davis,_California
Have you been there? It's nice. :-) It's close to the Bay Area and has lower costs and UC Davis. (And you don't have to put up with the constant cold winds! It's toasty there all year 'round!)