I don't find non-competes to be a major factor in startup considerations by serial entrepreneurs, although they may be inhibiting the number of startups that emerge from the larger corporate technology groups that exist in the RI. Something is - I've always been surprised at how few startups have emerged from the bigger corporations here.

Most lawyers I've spoken to say that non-competes are by-and-large unenforceable, as the individual's right to make a living is a trump card. Other legal protections around intellectual property and theft of trade secrets take care of "real" competitive threats, like an employee taking your core idea and doing the same thing, or stealing your customers.