Of course companies can be built elsewhere. People with one leg can finish marathons. That doesn't mean it isn't sub-optimal. Startups are pretty dicey. I d

Of course companies can be built elsewhere. People with one leg can finish marathons. That doesn't mean it isn't sub-optimal. Startups are pretty dicey. I don't know what a founder's chances are, but I'm pretty sure that they are better in the Valley. Depending on your market, your personal network, etc., they might not be THAT much better... But it's pretty hard to argue that, on average, the Valley doesn't help your chances in StartupLand.