The right control experiment here would be to do more business in other areas. Open a YC branch in another city. Sam and other partners can spend more time the

The right control experiment here would be to do more business in other areas. Open a YC branch in another city. Sam and other partners can spend more time there and find out if it really is more conducive to new ideas. If the other location(s) really does turn out to be more conducive, ramp it up and close down the Bay Area operation. Maybe the Bay loses out, but other places and the wider world win.