Are there any VCs there? Any cofounders? Other startups? Would it be too much of a PITA to fly to the Valley all the time for living in San Diego to be worth it?
I was working on a startup coming out here and the beach and weather did not help me focus (but other distractions including living with my college friends directly ON the beach).
That aside you can find like minded people, but it is much MUCH MUCH harder. I've joined a couple startup groups on meetup.com and actually that is how my current partner and I met. But I haven't been to any meetups since.
Personally, the weather is beautiful and does give me inspiration, but I wouldn't sacrifice all the resources that you would get in SV.
... one pro to San Diego aside from the weather might be if you do have a somewhat successful startup here you may get more attention since there are so few. Take Goowy (http://news.yahoo.com/s/sddt/20080208/lo_sddt/aolacquiressan...) for example.
Hope that helps!
John
most of the startup stuff is biotech.
And god help you if you're a plaintiff in a wrongful injury lawsuit against any organization; the jury will be entirely composed of former military and police or their wives and they'll assume your case is frivolous irrelevant of the facts. I could tell stories that would make your blood boil.
I've heard people describe San Diego as a sprawling faux automobile-metropolis and I agree. Our city government is so corrupt and incompetent the New York Times called us Enron by the Sea.
Bottom line, San Diego kind of sucks (I have lived here all my life).
I suggest San Francisco instead if you have a choice.
That is starting to sound a mighty bit like Kansas. wince
If you work there then you are not outside much though - you get into your car in your covered garage, and drive to the office park. If you want lunch, then you drive from the office park to the strip mall.
It is not a walkable place at all--even in the strip malls, to get from one end to another you drive from one spot in the parking lot to another.
I understand to the OP these responses might seem a little dismal, but SD really does have a stagnant feel to it imho.
As opposed to the Silicon Valley??
Just think about coding looking unto the beach with a cup of tea. Living the dream.
Will it energize you or distract you? 95% of your time will be heads down hacking no matter where you live.
When I lived in Southern California, it energized me. Wrote some of my best code with the windows open and the ocean breeze blowing through. Will it be the same for you?
But as someone pointed out, I would be more concern about the beautiful beaches and weather. Lots of distraction certainly :)
I used to live in SD, but transferred to Orange County. I'd really like to chat and get together with news.yc'ers in southern California, the few that seem to be out there.
San Diego is not a startup town. To expensive, not enough talent, and everyone good longs to head north. I love this place and have had marginal success working here, but the politics here, and the folks that have money who drive it, are to conservative. You would be happier in the valley in terms of surrounding yourself with like minded thinkers.
Nuff said...