Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing: Silicon Valley – why does it work? why can’t others replicate it?
Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing: Silicon Valley – why does it work? why can’t others replicate it?: “Silicon Valley – why does it work? why can’t others replicate it?
Silicon Valley is the epicenter of the universe for technology startups. There is a ‘force field’ of energy there that I haven’t found anywhere else. They have some of the best technology universities in the world. Sand Hill Road is home to the largest venture capital firms. And, they have a pool of startup talent that is unrivaled anywhere. It is a powerful combination.
Boston fits the description well too. Great universities like MIT, Harvard, BC, BU, Northeastern. Top notch VCs like Polaris, Matrix, North Bridge, Highland, General Catalyst, and others. And startup talent from DEC, AltaVista, Lycos, Lotus, PTC, Akamai, Groove, and others.
I have been part of successful startups in Silicon Valley and Boston. There are incredibly bright people, plenty of money, and all the supporting infrastructure in both places. The difference is scale and pace.
Silicon Valley has the highest concentration of ‘Type A’ personalities I have ever seen in my life. They compete at everything…all the time. This competitive atmosphere pushes you beyond what you thought was possible. It inspires innovative thinking that you didn’t think you were capable of. I call it a ‘force field’ of c”
