This is a theme I have come back to many times over the last decade but in the wake of all of the headlines about high profile founders, VCs, and companies leaving the bay area, I thought I would return to it.
There is no question that the bay area is losing some talent to other markets but I don’t think that is anywhere near the most important thing. It is also the case that Google and Apple show no signs of leaving the bay area any time soon. Silicon Valley will remain a mecca for talent and tech for as far into the future as I can see.
What is more important is the rise of everywhere. In the most recent Pitchbook 2021 predictions, they project that Silicon Valley will make up less than 20% of all VC deals in 2021. The way that happens is not less funding in Silicon Valley. The way that happens is way more funding everywhere else.
In the first decade of USV, the 2000s, we mostly invested in NYC and Silicon Valley. In the second decade of USV, the 2010s, we invested throughout North America and Western Europe. In the third decade of USV, I suspect we will extend our geographic range even further. We already have.
If there is one megachange in VC from the pandemic (there may be many), I think it is the comfort with making investments over video without the founder or the VC traveling to meet each other. Related to that is the rising comfort of VCs and founders working closely with each other over video and not traveling to work with each other in person.
I am not saying that founders will stop traveling to raise money, although I think that may stick post-pandemic. And I am not saying that VCs will stop traveling to attend board meetings. But I am saying that we will see less of both and the result of that will be a massive increase in the geographic range of where investors can and will invest.
If you add to that the rising comfort of companies employing people remotely and the rising number of people in tech living somewhere other than the big tech hubs, we will see a massive increase in the number of founders starting companies in places other than Silicon Valley, NYC, and a few other locations. This is not just happening in the US, this is happening everywhere.
So let’s stop worrying about Silicon Valley, it will be fine, and start celebrating the rise of tech entrepreneurship everywhere. That is a profound thing for the world and something to be incredibly happy about.
