It’s not just the location.
What California has in terms of the magnitude of its innovating culture is largely absent elsewhere in the US. The north-east is perhaps a close second. Some parts of Texas and Washington, yes. It’s what’s keeping the wasteful state afloat in spite of it’s grossly inefficient government.
Without question. And those paying attention understand it's been that way for many decades now, in spite of punitive state government, as you mentioned. With some luck, the governemnt will eventually just collapse into bankruptcy due to those inefficiencies.
Sorry I haven’t seen more out of California regarding innnovation then I have out of Texas and other oil states (drilling tech), Wisconsin and Cleveland (Centers for US MR and CT tech), New York (financial), etc etc etc.
It just happens that they do more in the way of software. Is Cali more layed back - sure I guess - but that doesn’t translate to innovation. Innovation is 4 parts sweat and 1 part inspiration.