Starting a family in San Francisco felt impossible, so this founder moved countries

For Koby Conrad, founder of AI sobriety companion Sunflower, the decision to leave San Francisco for Buenos Aires wasn’t just about cost of living. It came at an important moment in his personal life: he and his girlfriend are expecting a baby.

‘It’s really hard to be able to have a house or apartment that’s big enough to have a baby in San Francisco,’ Conrad told Business Insider, adding that raising children there would be far more expensive. He believes founders shouldn’t have to choose between building successful companies and having families. ‘Our ambitions should include kids and family,’ he said. ‘I want to build massive things, have kids, and leave it all to them.’

Conrad, 32, moved to San Francisco at 26 after his younger brother encouraged him to join the city’s startup ecosystem, and later entered Y Combinator. He still speaks fondly of the city, describing it as ‘one of the most gorgeous cities on the face of the planet,’ but said it revolves almost entirely around the tech industry.

In Buenos Aires, Conrad said the quieter lifestyle has made him more focused. ‘When I’m in Argentina, I have nothing to do but work 24/7,’ he said, adding that a full-time house manager handles daily chores so he can concentrate on both his company and his growing family. His company now splits across both cities, with the go-to-market team based in Buenos Aires and the technical team remaining in San Francisco and New York.

Image: Wikimedia Commons/by Luis Argerich