[Footprints of Silicon Valley] XII: What are the reasons behind the success of Silicon Valley?

Before starting my own consulting company, I worked in Saipan Foundation to help some entrepreneurs in the mobile phone ecosystem. Thanks to the work of Nokia, Saipan Foundation and Rovio, I have been fortunate to go to Silicon Valley three times a year for the past five years. I have established contact with some local entrepreneurs, and some of them have become friends, which makes it possible for me to understand the reasons behind the success of Silicon Valley. For many entrepreneurs in the field of science and technology, Silicon Valley is a mysterious place. It has not only developed into the most successful innovation center, but also a money-making machine and a star factory. Why so unique? Why is it the biggest innovation center? What are the challenges faced by other technology centers following in the footsteps of Silicon Valley? Climate and Land Silicon Valley enjoys a superior geographical position. From San Francisco to San Jose, the climate is diverse and sunny most of the year. Because it is close to the bay, San Francisco is colder, and it gets warmer as it goes south. There are more than a dozen tourist attractions near Lake Tahoe, surrounded by mountains and waters. A good climate not only makes people easy to have an upward attitude, but also provides opportunities for various outdoor activities. In contrast, London, England is rainy all the year round, while Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is cold and gloomy. In addition to the climate, the available land near Silicon Valley also provides the possibility for expansion. Those startups that start from a small office or even a garage will expand once they develop rapidly. Look at Apple, Google or Facebook, all of which have extended their offices to the campus. In the suburbs, the empty factories left by the decline of manufacturing industry are also looking forward to a new life. Zynga used the old factory building to build a building in the suburbs. When Stanford University mentions Silicon Valley, it can't help but mention Palo Alto, where Packard (founder of Hewlett-Packard Company) started his own garage and the birthplace of Silicon Valley. There are many celebrities living in this city. Stanford University has played a very important role in building Silicon Valley into a science and technology center. As the forefront of education, technology and business, Stanford University is constantly setting new standards every semester. Although many entrepreneurs have dropped out of school or graduated from other schools, Stanford has trained some talents necessary for their entrepreneurial success. These entrepreneurs are young, eager to grow and learn, and willing to spend extra time to succeed. The average age of employees in this emerging industry is younger than that in traditional industries. Culture In the blog bus tour organized by France Telecom, we visited more than 20 companies. Stroll through Silicon Valley, discuss with entrepreneurs, and visit business incubators and accelerators. Although many of us have been to Silicon Valley before, no one has ever had such a tight schedule. Many people are surprised to discuss with their peers. The culture here is completely different from what we are used to. Everything goes very fast, it is very easy to talk with people, the collision of ideas is very critical, and failure is also a part of daily life. From entrepreneurs to investors, the message is very clear: if you want to succeed, then you can succeed. If you try hard enough and fail, find the shortcomings and try again. It is difficult to establish such a culture out of thin air. Sometimes I wonder if the success of Silicon Valley is only possible in California, where the real pioneers in the United States are located, and in the west to New Amsterdam. Is it this indomitable spirit that has been passed down that has made Silicon Valley a hundred years later? Of course, a topic still worth discussing is capital, but capital is a by-product of culture. Pioneers made and sold products from scratch, creating an innovative economy. From one innovation to the next, this economy constantly encourages itself and attracts more and more talents, who are the source of innovation. They are willing to do experiments, create new markets and create capital, which can be used to invest in the next innovation. This is a virtuous circle. Obviously, culture is a very important factor for London, Helsinki and Paris to catch up with Silicon Valley.