Lantern Interviews

Paul Graham on Y Combinator Startup Podcast

Paul Graham: Should you move to Silicon Valley?

May 13, 2026 · 22 min

A focused but familiar case for founders spending time in Silicon Valley, with the Stockholm angle providing only modest specificity. Skip unless you are directly weighing a move or interested in Stockholm’s startup prospects.

Paul Graham argues that ambitious startup founders should spend time in Silicon Valley because its concentration of talent, unplanned connections, fast-moving investors, and pay-it-forward culture can materially improve their chances. He also presents returning to Stockholm as a way to transfer those benefits and help the city develop into a major European startup hub.