i see 3 underlying assumptions here (both in your reply and in the original post) 1) You need investors to scale 2) It is easier to find VC money in the Valley

i see 3 underlying assumptions here (both in your reply and in the original post) 1) You need investors to scale 2) It is easier to find VC money in the Valley 3) Being an early adopter is a critical factor in startup success. I would disagree with all of these, i think you need a good product and loyal customers, everything else including the "networking edge" of being in the center of the startup universe is secondary in my opinion. Paying customers will let you scale. It is bad to be an "adopter", make your own thing. And its easy to find an investor if you have a good product, no matter where you are. I'd move from Boston to CA just for the sake of windsurfing.