[jaxn]

Maybe you left Nashville a little too soon.

Right now we have a really solid community and it is growing all the time. There are quite a few startups here. We had Startup Weekend with 80 or so people a few weeks ago. Two weeks ago we had a BarCamp that had 500 attendees.

Granted, quantity is not the same as quality, but I think we have lots of talent here.

Now, most of the early stage capital that is available in Nashville is limited to health care technology. That is a problem (bootstrapping is great, but it takes all kinds).

If I was going to leave Nashville, I don't think I would go to the Bay Area. I have a nice house with a yard in a good school district that cost me well under $300k. The overall quality of life here is great, and really, isn't quality of life what it is really all about?

So what non-coast areas are strong for startups?

Denver Chicago Austin Atlanta North Carolina (research triangle)

Where else? Tallahassee?