Without addressing any of your other points (being outside the US, I have no knowledge in this area), it's interesting to note that at least one of the co-found

Without addressing any of your other points (being outside the US, I have no knowledge in this area), it's interesting to note that at least one of the co-founders of ModCloth has a number of regrets about the opening of the SV office, and considers that staying in Pittsburgh may have been the better option: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4qYFqpLQBc#t=1h20m https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4qYFqpLQBc#t=1h20m