Have you earned the right to have this much attitude? Strikes me as odd that as someone building a startup about startups that you'd be so dismissive of others on HN - a startup heavy community.

Interesting PR strategy.

I'm real. There are enough cheerleaders and I love many friends in the Midwest startup scene, but it doesn't help them to blow smoke up their asses. I'm from Seattle, another startup community in denial. It's time for an objective industry voice and it won't all be flattering.

Your conflating two unrelated things here - being objective (or real) and being dismissive.

Not sure if they're all "startups" but: Groupon, Starter League, 37signals, Food Genius, Fee Fighters, Spot Hero. All based in Chicago. Certainly not the Valley, but no need to be dismissive out of hand.

How mature.

Your lack of knowledge of Midwest startups doesn't equate to there not being any.

I didn't say they don't exist, what I am saying is that unfortunately very few have achieved broad adoption or brand recognition, so the revenue first mindset may not be serving them as well as the first commenter would lead you to believe. It is likely my index will give more non Silicon Valley companies credit for building value, even pre-revenue.

Who cares about brand recognition or brand adoption? There are boatloads of companies nobody has heard of making boatloads of money.

Why does it only matter if you're famous?