Last Week in Betabeat: Return of the Silicon Valley Diaspora

Too busy to check your daily Betabeat? Here are the highlights from last week, as selected by the editors. Sign

Too busy to check your daily Betabeat? Here are the highlights from last week, as selected by the editors.

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REQUIRED READING: Return of the Diaspora: After a Taste of the Valley, New York Techies are Coming Home
All work and no play makes Jack a dull startup.

REQUIRED READING: Brother, Can You Spare Some Time? Zaarly, TaskRabbit and the Rise of the Convenience Economy
It’s easy to see why democratizing the personal assistant might do well in New York, a city largely unburdened by hang-ups about, say, paying $20 to avoid wasting time in a Laundromat, even when one’s budget barely permits it.

REQUIRED VIEWING: The Pitch, Episode Eight: Dibsie – Browsing for a Big Idea
We sifted through hundreds of eager startups to find some of New York’s top prospects to pitch Lerer Ventures. Watch Ben Lerer and Jordan Cooper talk about them after they’ve left the room.

VITAMINS:
MTA to Says ‘Bring It On’ to Investigation Over Sweetheart Deal for Apple in Grand Central
The Daily Muse, Riding Big Growth, Preps For Y Combinator
Hip Hop Don’t Stop: Rap Genius Aims To Explain…Everything
General Assembly Demo Night For General Assembly Companies, Including General Assembly!

MILK AND COOKIES:
The Great Coffee Shop Boycott
Rumors & Acquisitions: Fear of Facebook
Betabeat’s Guide to the New York Tech Holiday Party Circuit

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Last Week in Betabeat: Return of the Silicon Valley Diaspora