The founder of a San Francisco artificial intelligence startup has packed up his team and left the city's downtown core, saying conditions near his office became too unsafe to keep working there.
Anto Patrex, who runs AI robotics company Cosmic Brain, has relocated from a tech incubator space on Market Street to the Dogpatch neighborhood, according to a report by the New York Post. The move came after he and a friend were each bitten by dogs within a few days of each other.
Two Dog Bites in Two Weeks
Patrex said the first incident happened about two weeks before he spoke publicly about the move. While walking along Sixth Street, he was bitten on the leg by a bulldog he had not noticed until it charged toward him.
The following week, a friend walking down the same street was also bitten. Patrex described the injury as serious enough that his friend was taken to the hospital.
He added that dog-related incidents had become common in the area around the office.
A Broader Pattern of Street Problems
In a post on X, Patrex said the dog encounters were only part of the picture. He pointed to broken car windows on block after block and other crimes as reasons he decided to leave after 12 months at the location.
He also shared videos from local X creator JJ Smith showing deteriorating conditions in the surrounding streets.
Patrex recounted an episode in which several engineer friends waiting in line for ice cream had to flee when a man tore down a road sign and tried to hit people with it. "They ran — everyone carries pepper spray," Patrex said.
What the Numbers Show
The concerns are not limited to one founder's experience. City data cited by local broadcaster KRON4 recorded 74 dog attacks in the Tenderloin neighborhood between January and September.
The Sixth Street corridor, which sits close to downtown and the Tenderloin, has long been known for drug dealing and petty crime. Market Street, the city's main artery and once a major retail destination, has faced persistent problems with drugs and street crime, especially after dark.
Market Street's Fading Tech Presence
The stretch around mid-Market was once a showcase for San Francisco's tech boom, hosting the headquarters of companies such as Twitter, Uber and Block. Many tech firms have since moved away or shifted to remote work, leaving numerous empty offices behind.
Commercial real estate firm Kidder Matthews put the mid-Market vacancy rate at 32% in the third quarter of this year. That level of vacancy reflects how far the area has drifted from its peak as a hub for startups and established technology companies.
A Trade-Off Between Access and Safety
Patrex acknowledged that leaving downtown comes at a cost. A central location makes it easier to meet with investors and partners, which matters for an early-stage company trying to raise money and build relationships.
Still, he said the priority had to be keeping himself and his colleagues safe, even if giving up the downtown address was disappointing. Dogpatch, a neighborhood on the city's eastern side, offered what he viewed as a more secure setting for the team.
What It Means for San Francisco's Startup Scene
Cosmic Brain is a single small company, but its move highlights a tension many founders in the city face. San Francisco remains a magnet for AI talent and capital, yet some of its most central business districts still struggle with safety and high vacancy.
For founders weighing where to set up shop, the episode is a reminder that proximity to investors is only one factor. How employees feel walking to and from work can shape location decisions just as much, and that calculation could influence whether downtown San Francisco regains its role as a startup hub.
Source: New York Post
