Does Building an AI Startup Still Require San Francisco?
AI pulled founders back to San Francisco: the labs, the investors and the best engineers are there, and so are many of the first customers. At the same time, strong AI companies are being built in New York, London, Paris, Toronto, Bangalore and fully remote.
This conversation pairs a founder who moved to the Bay Area with one who chose not to, and asks what the location decision really changes: hiring, fundraising, customers and speed.
Angles we want to explore
- What you get in San Francisco that you cannot get anywhere else
- Raising from Bay Area investors without living there
- Hiring AI engineers: local density versus a remote team
- Being close to the model providers, who may also be competitors
- Customers: Silicon Valley early adopters versus the rest of the world
- If you were starting today, where would you build?
Who we want to hear from
- Founders of AI startups based in the Bay Area
- Founders building AI companies elsewhere, by choice
- Founders who moved to San Francisco, or left it
- Investors and operators who work with early-stage AI companies in several regions
The format
Two founders. One big question. No scripted interview.
Two participants, one question
You are matched with a peer around a question you have both lived.
A clear pairing proposal
We tell you who, why, and the question. Both of you agree before anything is scheduled.
About 30 minutes
Recorded remotely at a time that suits you both.
Peers, not a host
You talk with each other. No interviewer, no script.
Shared with your consent
Recorded for possible publication and distribution, only with both participants' consent.
Media partners
Selected conversations can also be featured by AI Time Journal and AI Frontier Network.
Media partners
We10x is producing its first founder conversations with AI Time Journal and AI Frontier Network as media partners. Selected conversations can also be featured in both publications.
Take part in this conversation
About four minutes. In the form, choose “Does building an AI startup still require San Francisco?” and tell us about your experience. Every application is read by a person.
Apply for this conversationOther questions: How Much Company Can One Founder Build with AI Agents? · When AI Agents Do the Work, What Are Customers Actually Paying For?