Zoom’s default virtual background is the Golden Gate Bridge — an iconic symbol recognized around the world. But from our new offices near there, my virtual background will be Torrey Pines. It’s a small act of defiance, and an ode to the city we began.
Personal AI’s story is quintessentially San Diegan. Our founder, a UCSD alumnus who cut his teeth at Qualcomm, started Personal AI in 2020 with a vision rooted in this city’s spirit. The problems we are solving are human-centric. We began on a floor of La Jolla’s Aventine building, then expanded into UCSD’s beautiful new Design and Innovation Building.
What makes San Diego special for startups isn’t just the obvious — though the sun, beaches and fresh air certainly don’t hurt. This city unlocks a different kind of drive. In New York or San Francisco, ambition often feels driven by competition. In San Diego, the drive comes from the heart. Our teams work incredibly hard, oftentimes over the weekend, but that feels entirely OK when you’re in close proximity to Windansea or Torrey Pines.
The clarity and mood we have in this city translates into our work. Being slightly removed from the tech industry’s epicenters, which I call “the tornado,” gives us perspective. We can insert ourselves into Silicon Valley when needed, then retreat to think deeply about what our customers in the U.S., United Kingdom, Greece, France, Taiwan and elsewhere really need. San Diego’s environment fosters this kind of customer empathy.
But here’s the paradox: The very qualities that make San Diego perfect for building a company can limit your ability to scale one.
The talent concentration in San Francisco is undeniable. Yes, Zoom transformed how we work, and the one-hour flight from San Diego to San Francisco can be booked on a whim. But nothing replaces the serendipity of walking down Market Street and bumping into a potential hire, investor, or customer. Business often happens in these unplanned moments.
As we grew, we felt an increasing gravitational pull northward. We’ve hired in San Francisco and have found exceptional talent there. The environment is different — faster, more intense, arguably less enjoyable — but effective for rapid scaling. What started as occasional trips became regular commutes, then permanent hires, then office space.
This year, we made the decision to relocate our headquarters to San Francisco. It was less of a choice, and more of a natural consequence of growth.
I’ve often believed that entrepreneurs should pick their city and commit to it fully. But what happens when you outgrow that city? When the demands of clients, investors, and talent pull you elsewhere? This is the tension many San Diego startups face: We’re built here, nurtured here, but eventually called elsewhere.
So yes, this is a bit of a love letter to San Diego. You gave Personal AI our foundation, our values, and our unique perspective. You taught us that innovation and creativity flourishes when people feel good about where they live and work. We’ll maintain our presence here, host our creative offsites here, and keep those Torrey Pines in our hearts (and Zoom backgrounds).
Bikoff is a technology entrepreneur and serves as head of partnerships at Personal AI. He is a former investment banker who resides in Point Loma.