In 2018, Investors Will Look Outside Silicon Valley for the Next Big StartupThanks to technology, entrepreneurs no longer need to be on Sand Hill Road to catch an investor's eye.

For 2018 trends, we asked an expert on what entrepreneurs can expect this coming year in fundraising.

It's never been cheaperto start a company, butcompetitionhas never been fiercer. Only a few years ago, being in Silicon Valley gave startups a leg up. It was instant access to the world's bestnetwork. But the ecosystem has been shifting -- a decentralization of knowledge,capitaland networks that's enabling entrepreneurs to attract great investors no matter where they're based. And this will be the big story of 2018: It'll be the year that shift becomes a permanent state.