I've heard this claim many times before, including about other actual tech hubs (Austin, Portland, ...). None of them have panned out to be true.

yeah it seems like when one of the big software companies opens a satellite office in $city/country, then you see "$city/country is the new silicon valley". There is also the variant where a writer from $city writes something along the lines of: see how much money they are making? we should do that here, because then we would be making that money. $city officials need to set up a silicon valley in $city.

To be fair though, I thought this article offered some valid reasons why it might happen. (maybe I'm biased as a midwesterner, or I really want it to be true :) )

I'd believe it. Mostly as a pressure release valve from the Bay Area rent insanity.

"VC opens new office [somewhere], therefore [somewhere] is the next Silicon Valley"