"Silicon Alley" specifically refers to the thin stretch of Broadway between the Flatiron and SoHo, which were home to a large number of startups. NYC's startup

"Silicon Alley" specifically refers to the thin stretch of Broadway between the Flatiron and SoHo, which were home to a large number of startups. NYC's startup scene is now substantially more spread out but the name stuck. The "alley" refers specifically to the original thin corridor, not any literal alleys.