As Camille Ricketts of the Wall Street Journal points out, Silicon Valley is “establishing an outpost in London, bringing its laid-back office culture - including company gyms, relaxed dress and office kitchens full of snacks - with it.” (The eating habits are particularly difficult for the Brits to understand - they can’t seem to figure out why Americans are always stuffing their faces with snacks and soda in the office, yet don’t seem to have any special inclination to hang out at the local pub to have bangers and mash or a proper pint). Anyway, the flow of talent and know-how from Silicon Valley to London has been accelerating over the past 12 months:

“Just last year, about 30 California companies opened offices here, and nearly one of every three U.S. companies in London hails from California, including Apple, Google and MySpace. London also has become an attractive springboard for smaller tech companies from the state that are seeking a European toehold. In fact, if California were a country, it would rank second — after the rest of the U.S. and before Canada — as a place of origin for foreign companies setting up shop in London, according to Think London, a nonprofit consultancy that recruits foreign companies to the city.”

[image: Londonist]