Swedish Founders Should Leave for Silicon Valley, Then Return
Paul Graham told Swedish founders in Stockholm that the way to strengthen the city’s startup ecosystem may begin with leaving it. The Y Combinator founder argued that Silicon Valley remains the startup world’s dominant center because it concentrates ambitious peers, fast-moving investors, chance encounters and a culture of help; Stockholm’s opportunity, he said, is for founders to absorb those advantages and return with stronger companies, capital and habits that can compound locally.
Y Combinator·May 13, 2026·13 min read
