San Francisco and startups

I just arrived in San Francisco with only a carry-on, a laptop, and a box of gumption which is all I have to go on for the months of June, July and August. When there was a hiccup in my Master’s funding, in September 2009, I started consulting for startups to pay the bills, later joining one with a measure of equity (Steam Heavy Industries, bringing Wikipedia to every mobile device in the world) and being inspired to start my own (Kliq, connecting you to people you don’t already know but should).

I’ve been managing it part-part-time, mod a few sleepless nights, but both could benefit from a streak of full-time work, so when all the stars aligned with my personal and professional summer schedule I jumped at the chance. As for SF, the living expenses are less than in Zürich, it’s in closer proximity to my SHI colleagues, and I have more friends based here than anywhere else on earth. Not to mention the great vegan food, culture, and music.

I will arrive back in Zürich exactly coincident with the rest of my team for the true kickoff of my major PhD project, the start of the course I am assisting, Mathematical Methods for Physicists, and just in time to swap rooms with my friend Russell, who is leaving Zürich for, coincidentally, San Francisco. Expect the tenor of the blog to change for a bit to match my summer activities: iPhone, Android, desktop and web development.