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Is Silicon Valley Reproducible?
sunil99 asks: "Paul Graham, in his latest essay, looks at the ingredients which make Silicon Valley what it is. From the essay: 'Could you reproduce Silicon Valley elsewhere, or is there something unique about it? It wouldn't be surprising if it were hard to reproduce in other countries, because you couldn't reproduce it in most of the US, either. What does it take to make [a Silicon Valley]?'. In his opinion: 'I think you only need two kinds of people to create a technology hub: rich people and nerds'. He concludes that if a city can attract these people, it can stand a chance of replicating Silicon Valley. What do you think of Paul's opinions? If you would like some changes to the current Silicon Valley, what would those be?" While the people are an important part to the Silicon Valley experience, they are only part of the requirement. What local characteristics must also be present, even if Silicon Valley is to be duplicated on a smaller scale? What draws technology companies to a specific location?
As Mr. Graham points out in the article, Silicon Valley is not unique because Google and Apple and HP have offices here, it's special because those companies were started here.
HP, IBM, and BellSouth...
Again referring to the article, you do realize that these companies are not startups, or even young, do you not? BellSouth, also known as AT&T, is the one company that comes to mind as the polar opposite of high technology.
But I guess it's easier to be incredulous...
I am always incredulous. Check the dictionary.
Instead of using Google, a Silicon Valley product, I used another tool which produces a google map of all the publicly traded companies worth at least $10,000,000 within 100 miles of Atlanta, including their names, addresses, brief descriptions, stock ticker, and historical stock chart. And that tool was also written in Silicon Valley.
But, it also has a few things that Silicon Valley lacks. Namely, it has a better cultural scene for folks. I don't mean the high-class snobby rich folks that fit in well in California. I mean young folks, the kind that like to live someplace that is the live-music capital of the world, with two world-class music festivals, a world-class movie festival, site of the flagship whole foods, the state's only public nude beach, and plenty more to keep you busy every week.
... guess the nude beaches per-se ain't it :(
Actually what you're describing right there about Austin, Texas matchs the perception i have (as a foreigner, non-US resident though) of the whole of California.
So by, in terms of personal freedom, being more like California than Texas, Austin has managed to create a mini-Silicon Valley.
Maybe that freedom to be yourself (ie, the real freedom, not the one US politicians are selling nowadays) might very well be a factor in making Silicon Valley what it is!!?
BTW: We have loads of nude beaches here in Europe (and further - topless is not frowned upon on the vast majority of beaches around here) but no comparable Silicon Valley-like place