King’s Cross went from red light district to AI zip code because DeepMind moved there, and now everyone wants in. But I’m not sure this is about proximity to breakthrough thinking. Feels more like the old move: follow the signal, assume the signal is smart, and pretend it’s not just groupthink with better branding.
What actually happens if you’re in King’s Cross vs. two neighborhoods over?
Are you getting access to something real, or just the feeling that you’re closer to the thing that matters?
source: A look at London's King's Cross…
The “follow the signal” thing is definitely real.
It’s less about direct access and more about perceived value for investors and talent. Being in King’s Cross probably helps with recruiting because it signals a certain ambition or network. But the actual day-to-day work? I’m not so sure. My team built a whole design token generator prototype while we were all remote during the pandemic, and it’s in production now. Location didn’t really play a part in that. It feels more like a branding exercise for companies than a true innovation hub for the people actually doing the building.
