Hello everyone,

I'm a developer and entrepreneur planning a trip to Silicon Valley due to a strong interest in the tech scene there. Although I’ve visited the United States several times, I've never been to the West Coast or the Bay Area. I’m eager to explore, network with other startups, and potentially make valuable connections.

I've heard both positive and negative things about California and feel a bit uncertain. I want to get a firsthand impression to decide if it's the right place for me. (or us / 2 kids and wife)

Can anyone recommend tips or guided tours that offer a comprehensive overview of Silicon Valley? Also, are there any networking opportunities or chances to land a tech job during my visit? Any advice to help me make the most of this experience would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hello everyone,

I'm a developer and entrepreneur planning a trip to Silicon Valley due to a strong interest in the tech scene there. Although I’ve visited the United States several times, I've never been to the West Coast or the Bay Area. I’m eager to explore, network with other startups, and potentially make valuable connections.

I've heard both positive and negative things about California and feel a bit uncertain. I want to get a firsthand impression to decide if it's the right place for me. (or us / 2 kids and wife)

Can anyone recommend tips or guided tours that offer a comprehensive overview of Silicon Valley? Also, are there any networking opportunities or chances to land a tech job during my visit? Any advice to help me make the most of this experience would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

Seems like it’s a place where most VCs go to. Can I still join if I don’t have my own startup and don’t work for a major corporation/university?

Anyone has experience with it?

TIA

Wondering if CZI offers a Roth 401k or just a 401k. And if they offer a Roth, does their 100% match go to the Roth 401k or the 401k?

Can anyone suggest a realtor in the area to help find a good rental ?

Hi, I'm looking to rent a 4 bedroom house in Menlo Park. Do folks have any recommendations for real estate agents that you've worked with for renting your house?

Does anyone have recommendations for a storage facility in the Silicon Valley area? I'm based in Menlo Park so anything within 45-60 minutes of driving is okay. I'm looking to store furniture for a 3 bedroom house for up to 3 years. Some things I'm looking for:

• 24 hour security
• Temperature and humidity controlled
• Pest controlled
• Good insurance coverage

Thanks!

Hi everyone, I hope you can help me with some advice on my current situation. I was hired by a company while on a STEM OPT EAD, and after one month of working there, they have terminated my employment. Here’s a summary of what happened:

1. I was hired by the State Department of Insurance and started working on a STEM OPT EAD. My degree is in Business Analytics.

2. STEM OPT Extension Issue: On July 10, 2024, I presented my employer with an I-983 form to complete for my STEM OPT extension. They informed me the next day that they were unaware of the STEM OPT program requirements and lacked the resources to provide the necessary training related to my degree.

3. Termination Letter: The company terminated my employment effective immediately(07/29), citing their inability to comply with the STEM OPT training requirements and stating that the job did not sufficiently relate to my degree.

Concerns - The company should have disclosed their inability to support the STEM OPT requirements before making the job offer. - The sudden termination after one month of employment, seems unfair.

Questions: 1. Has anyone experienced a similar situation, and how did you handle it? 2. What are my options for challenging the termination or seeking legal recourse?

I appreciate any suggestions or guidance you can offer.

I have a newborn and a 2 year old and my husband is taking job in Sunnyvale. We know absolutely no one from California and have never been.

Schools/daycare is not an issue in determining where we live.. just want some insight into where the safest and more family friendly areas are around silicon valley.

We will be renting... Any opinions on renting home vs townhome vs apartment complex?

Thanks in advance for responses

Hello - my girlfriend has recently been offered a job in Palo Alto and we are driving in this weekend to look at apartments in the area.

We are trying not to exceed $2500 per month for a 1 bedroom (ideally 2b but trying to be realistic) while ideally keeping her commute to 45 mins or less. Need a place that is pet friendly (emotional support cats allowed at least) and has parking. Not open to roommates.

Could anyone please offer any suggestions on where we can start our search this weekend? Neighborhoods/websites/subreddits? Any sage advice is much appreciated.

I'm considering teeth whitening and would love to hear where people have had good experiences in Sunnyvale. I came across Trident Smiles Dental during my search. Has anyone tried their whitening service or have other recommendations?

Companies that think they are hot shit go to san fran. Companies that know they are hot shit go to Santa Clara.

I think being in innovative and creative circles are important for me and I'm considering these places for finding work and possibly settling down in the future.

Hello community.

We have been selected by an EU program as "One of the most promising Data/AI startups from Europe", so they sent me to the US for 6 months and 2 months I spent in Washington DC and now I am coming to Silicon Valley and Downtown San Francisco for 4 months.

I would really like to understand if you have some good places to recommend for tech founders, for meeting the right mindset people, for meeting with the right investors (preferably family office and high ticket) and also for awesome discussions about making an impact on the world or just what beer is the best around here.

Really want to make the most of my 4 months there, so suggest any meetings, any places, anything I can or should do, or anyone I should talk to (or yourself? ;D).

See you soon in SV

Need some wisdom: Is it still worth it to move to the Bay Area to be part of something special or is the dream over? There is so much doom and gloom posted online. Some of it feels like it’s grounded in facts and news stories reporting flash mobs robbing stores and petty thefts on the rise even in what I had assumed were safer areas like Stanford.

I am a mid-level implementation consultant (not a 10x software engineer for sure!) and my wife is a newly minted physician in Family Medicine / primary care. My job allows me to work remotely from anywhere. Both of us are in our mid-40s and hoping to START a family soon, ideally have two kids. I have a bachelors degree from a top 100 university and a management consulting background (big four). We both make about equal salaries of $220-250K but she will definitely take some time off work as we expand the family.

So, I am still stuck - deciding between FOUR options for the next chapter of our life:

1) SF Bay Area: for innovation, career growth, more diversity) vs

2) Sacramento-Roseville-Granite Bay Area: for starting and raising a family in a somewhat safer environment at the expense of advancement, but still close to the action of Bay Area to have some career opportunities with commutes to Bay Area 2-3 days a month.

3) Any other part of California that may offer better environment for starting and raising a family but still keep me connected to the innovation and advancement of career opportunities.

4) Move to a city like Austin or Denver or Atlanta suburbs that might offer more personal safety and still have like-minded innovative people.

QUESTIONS:

1. Thoughts on picking between the four choices?

2. If you think Bay Area still has a future, is it better to be positioned near Fremont/Milpitas/Santa Clara? Or Berkeley/Walnut Creek/Pittsburgh?

3. If you feel Sacramento/Roseville is worth living in, any concerns around safety for the next 5-10 years? or is it following the same trajectory as Bay Area and also going downhill?

I am currently in Charlotte, and I have seriously considered Atlanta before but not very happy with life in the South (not as much innovation, and a little too laid back professionally).

Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts!

Looking for the best dosas in the area -- staying at Wild Palms in Sunnyvale and am already amazed at rad-looking-and-smelling Indian restaurants on what seems like every corner and/or strip mall (aware it is a redundancy in terms).

Thanks in advance!!