As people come back to offices, the Bay Area vs. The Rest argument is back. So today, I thought I’d show you where I’m actually investing right now.
I’ve invested in 26 startups in the last 28 months. Here’s where they’re located:
SF: 5
NYC: 4
LA: 3
Silicon Valley: 2
Phoenix: 2
Austin: 1
Chattanooga, TN: 1
Fort Lauderdale, FL: 1
London: 1
Minneapolis: 1
Portland, OR: 1
Raleigh, NC: 1
Sacramento: 1
Salt Lake City, UT: 1
San Diego: 1
The Twin Capitals of Tech
Two areas stand out: the Bay Area and New York. The Bay Area collectively has 7 companies, just over a quarter of the total.
NYC is also heavily represented, with 4 companies, or 15% of the total.
This fits what I’m seeing happen in the market now. Today, the world of tech has two capitals: SF and NYC.
Over time, I’ve invested in fewer Bay Area companies and more NYC startups. This fits a trend I’m seeing of entrepreneurs moving from the Bay to Silicon Alley.
But venture is all about finding the best companies. So, where are my most successful startups?
The Best of the Best
In my portfolio so far, 5 companies have really stood out. They’ve scaled to millions in revenue with low burn.
They just might be the next unicorns. Here’s where they are:
Sacramento: 1
Austin: 1
NYC: 1
SF: 1
Salt Lake City: 1
The locations seem pretty random, and no city has more than one.
Maybe it’s just the small sample size. Or maybe talent is more evenly distributed than we think.
But Don’t Read Too Much Into “Location”…
“Location” is a slippery concept with companies these days, especially startups.
I did the numbers based on where the founder lives. Usually several of the co-founders live there as well.
But almost every startup in my portfolio hires remote employees. Remote work makes top talent easier to access. It can also be cheaper, especially if you hire overseas.
Wrap-Up
Do I favor any one location over another? Not really.
Experience has told me that good startups show up all over the place. They’re a little more likely to pop up in the Bay or NYC, if for no other reason than that ambitious people tend to move to those cities.
But they also pop up in Chattanooga and Salt Lake. And when they do, I’ll be there, looking for my slice.
Where are you investing these days? Leave a comment and let us know!
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe for more like this!
More on tech:
A Peak Inside My Angel Portfolio
Watch Elon Drive Tesla’s Amazing New Autopilot
They Invented the iPad in 1989 — And Lost it All
Save Money on Stuff I Use:
This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.
More on Fundrise in this post.
If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!
I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!
I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.
Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order.
Advertisements
about:blank
Tremendous 
Leave a comment