I have been spending few weeks in Seattle. Its been a while since I left the valley (bay area). This trip gives me a reference point to compare.
Well, its clear to me that silicon valley has some core strengths that are irreproducible anywhere else -
A. The weather - I have been observing weather all across US, since I get to read USA Today. Consistenly the temperatures have been pleasant in valley for past 3 weeks. The constant dripping in seattle feels like how your bathroom shower faucet drips when its not functioning properly. And the freaking dripping keeps you awake at night. Yeah, seems we have non-functional weather in Seattle.
B - The energy thats evident working in the valley. The difference is similar to learning italian cooking by reading a book by Lidia or travelling to Italy and learning in Lidia's kitchen. There is this un-written knowledge about how to generate technology ideas and commercialize them. You might call it a craft - that could be emulated to some level and but never totally reproduced. The craft comes from the ecosystem of universities, institutions, companies, venture-capital. and of course, the people. People in general in valley are better-educated and highly entrepreneuial.
So has Silicon Valley become a Death Valley ? Far from it. I guess, the next big thing is been cooked somewhere in the valley. I am sure the next Jerry Yang and David Filo are toiling somewhere in the lab cooking the next "Yahoo". My claim is that the next big thing will originate from the valley as oppossed to somewhere else. Primarily because of the concentration of entreprenuial rats in the region.
posted by Naren 12:20 PM
|
