Article contributed by Emil Eifrem for Techcrunch
As a CEO and immigrant worker (take that, Trump!), I always get asked about moving my company to Silicon Valley. I usually answer that I believe you can build a world-changing organization anywhere, but the job is always easier at your industry’s center of gravity. For fashion, it’s Paris; for finance, it’s London; for tech, it’s Silicon Valley.
Think about it as running uphill versus running downhill. You expend the same amount of energy in both cases, but if you’re running downhill, you go much farther. Being in the center of gravity for your respective industry is much the same: The energy you spend growing your business gets you closer to success than the same energy spent in a different location.
So, should you move your non-U.S. tech startup to the Valley? Every situation is unique, but on balance, I’ve learned that the Silicon Valley advantage pays off nine times out of 10.
It’s been eight years since I first came to Silicon Valley — from Malmö, Sweden — to pitch for seed capital to fund Neo Technology; in 2011, we moved our global headquarters to San Mateo, CA.
Now, with 120 employees in 12 countries and $50 million in funding, here are some things I’ve learned along the way.
Keywords: emil eifrem • Silicon Valley