The rule of thumb for entrepreneurs used to be that if you're seeking funding from a VC, you either have to go to the Valley or New York. Permanently. That's changing, according to an article in today's USAToday:

"Venture capitalists in Silicon Valley once joked that they'd never invest in a start-up more than a 15-minute drive away. Not now.

Increasingly, Silicon Valley venture firms such as Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Sequoia Capital are looking beyond U.S. tech hotspots and investing from Dubai to Dublin. Since 2001, U.S. venture firms have raised $230 billion in venture capital worldwide - with $40 billion coming last year, according to Ernst & Young."

While we're not ready to entirely concede that your shot at funding is equally good if you're based in Kenosha, Wisconsin or Uzbekistan as it would be if you were in Mountain View, California, it's still heartening news for entrepreneurs in nether parts of the country and around the world. In the meantime, the WSJ's Independence Street blog (as if on cue), has a list of tips from a Valley attorney for helping entrepreneurs who are not located in California, NYC, or London get funding:

-Try meeting VCs who have invested in your region before. Even if they're not locally-based, it means they're at least willing to work with a start-up in your area.

-If you're not well versed on how the VC industry works, learn it as best you can from a distance. That means researching VC firms, the industry's major players, and those investors who've previously funded start-ups in your industry. Also, don't focus on the low-cost of operating a business in your area. The primary thrust of your pitch should still be your business' general awesomeness in regards to profit and opportunity. Trust us, Arkansas isn't exactly a selling point.

-Seek partners who have experience working with VCs in hotbeds like Silicon Valley. In some cases offering an "above-market" deal for their participation can end up working out to an entrepreneur's advantage - particularly if it helps attract funding.

Do any non-metropolis-based readers have any thoughts on how to attract investors? Share in the comments section below.

Okay so, they actually might have a hard time getting funding.