Close Menu
  • English
  • Featured
    • AI & Robotics
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Leisure
    • Science
    • Security
    • Sustainable Development
    • Tech
    • Transport
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Trending
Illustration of Ethiopia's tallest skyscraper project in Addis Ababa. Image generated by AI.
“Tallest Tower Dream Revived”: Ethiopia Relaunches Bold Project to Build Sub-Saharan Africa’s Most Ambitious Skyscraper Yet
Illustration of Apple's upcoming ultra-premium iPhone lineup for next fall. Image generated by AI.
“Apple Goes Ultra-Luxury”: Next Year’s iPhone Fall Lineup Set to Break Price Records With Premium Materials and Exclusive Features
Illustration of North Korean hackers using AI tools like ChatGPT for cryptocurrency theft. Image generated by AI.
“AI in the Wrong Hands”: North Korean Hackers Exploit ChatGPT to Steal Millions While Malaysian Funds Vanish in Digital Heist
Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn RSS
Rude Baguette
Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
Newsletter
  • Featured
  • AI
    Illustration of Alibaba's Grape AI detecting stomach cancer using CT scans. Image generated by AI.

    “AI Detects Cancer Instantly”: Alibaba’s Grape Tool Finds Stomach Tumors Early Using CT Scans, Shocking Medical Experts Globally

    June 29, 2025 at 5:13 PM
    Illustration of the Berkeley Humanoid Lite robot, an open-source project designed to make robotics accessible to beginners. Image generated by AI.

    “Humanoid Bots for Everyone”: New Open-Source Robot Unveiled in the U.S. Makes Advanced Robotics Affordable for Total Beginners

    June 29, 2025 at 10:13 AM
    Illustration of a humanoid robot performing household tasks. Image generated by AI.

    Germany Bets $1.2 Billion on Drink-Pouring Humanoid Butlers That Could Replace Bartenders Around the World

    June 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
    Illustration of a humanoid robot being remotely controlled using H2L's Capsule Interface technology. Image generated by AI.

    “Real-Life Avatar Tech Arrives”: New Capsule Teleports Full-Body Human Motion Directly into Remote-Controlled Robots

    June 27, 2025 at 12:12 PM
    Illustration of the ARMstrong Dex humanoid robot lifting weights as part of its disaster response capabilities. Image generated by AI.

    “Korea’s Robot Hulk Shocks the World”: Humanoid Machine Performs 88lb Bicep Curls with Perfect Form in Viral Video

    June 27, 2025 at 9:48 AM
  • Energy
    Illustration of scientists replicating a 1938 triton-deuterium fusion experiment. Image generated by AI.

    “Fusion Experiment Reborn”: U.S. Physicists Revive a Lost 1938 Breakthrough That Could Reshape the Race for Unlimited Energy

    June 29, 2025 at 11:45 AM
    Illustration of a burned smartphone showing damage from a lithium-ion battery failure and thermal runaway. Image generated by AI.

    “Battery Fires Stopped Cold”: Ultrasound Tech Detects Deadly Flaws in Seconds Before Explosions Can Ignite Catastrophic Blazes

    June 29, 2025 at 5:59 AM
    Illustration of France's EDF reportedly being dropped from the Saudi Neom project. Image generated by AI.

    “French Energy Giant Dropped From Neom”: Shocking Exit From $500 Billion Saudi Project Sparks Global Industry Turmoil

    June 28, 2025 at 8:48 AM
    Illustration of a groundbreaking lithium metal battery technology by Pure Lithium, highlighting its independence from Chinese materials. Image generated by AI.

    “We Broke Free From China”: U.S. Battery Innovation Hits 1,300 Cycles With Zero Chinese Materials in Game-Changing Shift

    June 25, 2025 at 12:09 PM
    Illustration of the innovative molybdenum disulfide thin film technology extending battery lifespan. Image generated by AI.

    “We Increased Battery Life Sevenfold”: Scientists Unveil Breakthrough Film That Supercharges Anode-Free Solid-State Technology

    June 25, 2025 at 5:52 AM
  • Finance
    Illustration of James Howells searching for his lost Bitcoin hard drive in a landfill. Image generated by AI.

    “He’s Still Digging”: Man Who Lost $700 Million in Bitcoin 12 Years Ago in a Dump Faces Stunning New Twist in His Hunt

    June 13, 2025 at 9:05 AM
    Illustration of a lost hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins buried in a landfill. Image generated by AI.

    He Just Gave Up €200 Million in Bitcoin: After 12 Years of Digging Through Trash, the Lost Hard Drive Is Gone for Good

    May 30, 2025 at 7:14 AM
    Illustration of a man sleeping with black tape over his lips. Image generated by AI.

    “Doctors Sound the Alarm”: Viral Mouth Taping Trend Called Dangerous and Completely Unproven by Leading Medical Experts

    May 25, 2025 at 8:02 AM
    Illustration of Visa's integration of AI systems into digital payments (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    Visa’s AI Is Now Shopping for You: This Robot May Soon Swipe Your Card Automatically—and Mess With Your Mind

    May 4, 2025 at 8:07 AM
    Microsoft Strikes Unprecedented Deal: World's Largest CO2 Removal at 7.44 Million Tons, Setting New Environmental Milestone

    “Microsoft Strikes Historic Climate Deal”: World’s Largest CO2 Removal Pact Targets 6.75 Million Tons in Unmatched Green Push

    April 19, 2025 at 9:55 AM
  • Leisure
    Illustration of Shebara Resort's futuristic, pod-like villas shimmering above the Red Sea. Image generated by AI.

    “Solar Villas Rise on the Red Sea”: Shebara Resort Unveils Ultra-Futuristic Eco-Luxury Powered Entirely by the Sun

    June 30, 2025 at 9:06 AM
    Illustration of the world's largest Legoland theme park in Shanghai, featuring eight themed zones and a 250-room hotel. Image generated by AI.

    “China Builds the Unthinkable”: World’s Largest Legoland Ever Made Opens Soon After $550 Million Mega Investment

    June 27, 2025 at 7:06 AM
    Illustration of Quentin Tarantino endorsing the Netflix film Havoc. Image generated by AI.

    “It’s Really Badass”: Tarantino Raves About This Explosive Tom Hardy Action Film That Just Dropped as a Netflix Exclusive

    June 23, 2025 at 5:50 AM
    Illustration of a Nintendo Direct event focused on Donkey Kong Bananza for the Nintendo Switch 2. Image generated by AI.

    “This Hero Smashes Everything”: Nintendo Switch 2’s Most Explosive Star Will Dominate the Nintendo Direct in 48 Hours

    June 22, 2025 at 4:53 PM
    Illustration of Sony's vision for the future of gaming with the anticipated PS6. Image generated by AI.

    “Next-Gen Is Coming”: Sony President Drops First Official PS6 Statement That Sets the Tone for the Future of Gaming

    June 22, 2025 at 4:11 PM
  • Science
    Illustration of the James Webb Space Telescope observing disk galaxies to uncover their origins. Image generated by AI.

    James Webb Telescope Unlocks the Deep Structural Secrets of Disk Galaxies, Revealing How the Universe Built Its Greatest Shapes

    June 30, 2025 at 4:46 PM
    Illustration of galaxies rotating in a universe potentially trapped inside a black hole. Image generated by AI.

    “We’re Trapped in a Black Hole”: James Webb Discovery Ignites Existential Shockwave Through World’s Top Astrophysicists

    June 30, 2025 at 5:45 AM
    Illustration of the SpaceX Dragon capsule returning to Earth with futuristic gear. Image generated by AI.

    “We Brought the Future Back to Earth”: SpaceX Dragon Returns With 6,700 Lbs of Cutting-Edge Robots From Deep-Space Mission

    June 29, 2025 at 8:59 AM
    Illustration of the decline in average IQ scores across generations and the influencing factors. Image generated by AI.

    IQ Showdown Explodes: Gen Z Scores Compared to Gen X in Jaw-Dropping Study That Leaves No Room for Doubt

    June 26, 2025 at 5:04 PM
    Illustration of a superconducting diode-based rectifier converting AC to DC on a single chip. Image generated by AI.

    “We’re Rewiring the Future”: MIT’s Superconducting Chip Breakthrough Could Unlock the True Power of Quantum Computing

    June 25, 2025 at 6:47 AM
  • Security
    Illustration of North Korean hackers using AI tools like ChatGPT for cryptocurrency theft. Image generated by AI.

    “AI in the Wrong Hands”: North Korean Hackers Exploit ChatGPT to Steal Millions While Malaysian Funds Vanish in Digital Heist

    July 1, 2025 at 11:49 AM
    Illustration of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile, a key element in Russia's military strategy. Image generated by AI.

    “Putin Orders Mach 10 Missile Surge”: Russia Escalates Hypersonic Arsenal With Terrifying New Strike Capabilities Ready for Deployment

    June 30, 2025 at 4:02 PM
    Illustration of a Chinese satellite capable of identifying human faces from over 62 miles away. Image generated by AI.

    “China Can See Your Face From Space”: New Spy Satellite Sparks Global Alarm With Its Unprecedented Orbital Surveillance Power

    June 10, 2025 at 3:53 PM
    Illustration of the F-15E Strike Eagle equipped with APKWS II rockets targeting drones. Image generated by AI.

    “We’ll Swat Them Out of the Sky”: U.S. Air Force Upgrades F-15E With 42 Drone-Killing Rockets in Explosive Power Boost

    May 28, 2025 at 10:00 AM
    Illustration of using Starlink satellites to detect stealth aircraft. Image generated by AI.

    “Elon Musk Cornered by Invisible Threat”: China’s New Tech Can Hijack Starlink Satellites and Unmask Stealth Aircraft

    May 27, 2025 at 12:02 PM
  • Impact
    Illustration of Ethiopia's tallest skyscraper project in Addis Ababa. Image generated by AI.

    “Tallest Tower Dream Revived”: Ethiopia Relaunches Bold Project to Build Sub-Saharan Africa’s Most Ambitious Skyscraper Yet

    July 1, 2025 at 4:48 PM
    Illustration of the scaled-back Neom project in Saudi Arabia, showcasing its reduced size and scope. Image generated by AI.

    Inside the Neom Fallout: Why Saudi Arabia Just Removed a Major French Energy Firm From Its $500 Billion Desert Megacity

    June 28, 2025 at 4:47 PM
    Illustration of E. coli bacteria converting plastic waste into paracetamol. Image generated by AI.

    “Trash Turned into Tylenol”: Scientists Use Bacteria to Transform Plastic Waste into Fully Functional Paracetamol

    June 27, 2025 at 4:51 PM
    Illustration of the futuristic design of Khalid Bin Sultan City in Sharjah with a central oasis and sustainable architecture. Image generated by AI.

    “UAE Unveils Futuristic Dreamscape”: Zaha Hadid Architects Design Entire New City Built Around a Massive Oasis Core

    June 27, 2025 at 8:57 AM
    Illustration of Ethiopia's ambitious 62-story skyscraper project in Addis Ababa. Image generated by AI.

    “Tallest Tower Dream Revived”: Ethiopia Relaunches Bold Project to Build Sub-Saharan Africa’s Most Ambitious Skyscraper Yet

    June 23, 2025 at 8:51 AM
  • Tech
    Illustration of Apple's upcoming ultra-premium iPhone lineup for next fall. Image generated by AI.

    “Apple Goes Ultra-Luxury”: Next Year’s iPhone Fall Lineup Set to Break Price Records With Premium Materials and Exclusive Features

    July 1, 2025 at 3:46 PM
    Illustration of a breakthrough in quantum computing with high-fidelity magic states. Image generated by AI.

    “Quantum Barrier Smashed”: Scientists Make ‘Magic States’ Faster and Cleaner, Paving the Way for Practical Superpowered Computers

    July 1, 2025 at 9:52 AM
    Illustration of the future design evolution of Apple's iPhone through 2030. Image generated by AI.

    “Apple’s Future Revealed”: Stunning Year-by-Year iPhone Evolution Through 2030 Shows Radical Redesigns and Game-Changing Features

    July 1, 2025 at 7:56 AM
    Illustration of the Jeddah Economic Company Tower under construction, set to become the world's tallest skyscraper. Image generated by AI.

    “Saudi Arabia Defies Gravity”: World’s Tallest Tower Skyrockets Past Milestones With Unstoppable Speed and Billion-Dollar Precision

    July 1, 2025 at 7:13 AM
    Illustration of the upcoming iPhone Fold showcasing its innovative design and features. Image generated by AI.

    “Apple’s Foldable Bombshell”: Leaked iPhone Fold Details Reveal Massive Display, Dual Cameras, and Radical New Design Changes

    July 1, 2025 at 6:04 AM
  • Transport
    Illustration of the Mercedes-AMG Concept GT XX showcasing its innovative design and technology. Image generated by AI.

    “Mercedes Unleashes Electric Beast”: AMG Concept GT XX Redefines Speed With Shocking Power and Aerodynamics Never Seen Before

    July 1, 2025 at 9:10 AM
    Illustration of Chevrolet's first hypercar, the Corvette ZR1X, showcasing its powerful design and advanced features. Image generated by AI.

    “Corvette ZR1X Unleashed”: Chevrolet’s First Hypercar Smashes Onto the Scene With Ferocious Power and Track-Ready Precision

    June 30, 2025 at 10:02 AM
    Illustration of the Koenigsegg Sadair's Spear hypercar showcasing its innovative design and engineering. Image generated by AI.

    This Hypercar From Koenigsegg Called Sadair’s Spear Just Rewrote Every Rule of Performance, Speed, and Automotive Extremes

    June 30, 2025 at 7:51 AM
    Illustration of the Feitian 2 hypersonic vehicle demonstrating advanced flight capabilities. Image generated by AI.

    “China Just Went Hypersonic”: Feitian 2 Test Stuns the World With Blistering Speeds That Could Redefine Global Airpower

    June 29, 2025 at 4:01 PM
    Illustration of hydrogen bikes revolutionizing urban mobility. Image generated by AI.

    “E-Bikes Are Over”: This Radical New Transportation Tech Just Dropped and It’s Set to Replace Electric Bikes Worldwide

    June 28, 2025 at 4:08 PM
  • English
Rude Baguette

Rude VC: Silicon Valley’s secret sauce

Eirwen WilliamsEirwen WilliamsMarch 19, 2013 at 9:29 AM0
Share Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Google News
Share
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link

secret-sauceOver the past few weeks in this space, inspired by Fleur Pellerin’s current government initiative to replicate Silicon Valley, I’ve recapped some of the history of the region and reconsidered the wisdom of attempts to reproduce the Silicon Valley model elsewhere.

I submit that trying to imitate Silicon Valley is futile. However, France’s government and business community can derive inspiration from the factors that rendered Silicon Valley a success. Regions finding the most success in creating clusters of innovation have been those that do it on their own terms and play to their own unique strengths, where the government facilitates an environment that doesn’t penalize failure and then gets out of the way. New York City comes to mind as one prominent example. A local innovator there whom I had the pleasure of meeting just last week pointed out that it was only once New York ditched its Silicon Alley moniker that the city’s tech entrepreneurial ecosystem really began to take off.

So how can France derive inspiration from the Silicon Valley model ?

This is a tough question for two reasons. First, nobody can identify with certainty all of the factors made Silicon Valley such a success. There exists a certain degree of chance and cognitive dissonance rendering attempts to copy Silicon Valley impossible.

Secondly, one key ingredient to SV’s success – its excessive proportion of people with crazy ambition – cannot be so easily exported. According to an analysis of LinkedIn profiles, residents of Silicon Valley dream bigger than the rest of the world. People who include the keywords “change the world” in their LinkedIn profiles are far more common in the San Francisco Bay Area than anywhere else (source: Venture Capital Dispatch).

Perhaps a better question would be: which ingredients of Silicon Valley’s secret sauce might be transferrable here ?

Two prominent factors come to mind which might be relevant for France to carefully consider: i) proximity, and ii) immigration. (Note that I’ve deliberately decided to set aside a third factor – fiscal environment – in order to avoid summary dismissal of these constructive suggestions by bureaucrats that may be reading this).

Proximity

By proximity, I mean the proximity of educational institutions, businesses, and the design community. Proximity of this diverse group is important because when talented people of multi-disciplinary expertise come together, the odds increase exponentially for serendipitous encounters that spawn innovation. Subsequent to the traitorous eight’s creation of Farichild Semiconductor, two of the most familiar names (Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore) went on to found Intel right down the street. Not far away in Menlo Park, a third founding father by the name of Eugene Kleiner teamed up with a veteran from HP in nearby Palo Alto, Tom Perkins, to give birth to one of the world’s most renowned venture capital funds.

A more recent example and arguably one of the most successful entrepreneurial endeavors in history, Google’s ascendancy stemmed from the chance encounter at Palo Alto’s Stanford University of Sergey Brin and Larry Page. The proximity of institutions like Stanford and UC Berkeley facilitated the recruitment of high-caliber engineers and managers as the company grew, including for example, Stanford graduate Marissa Mayer, who conceived the Google home page’s elegantly simplistic design.

The design element cannot be underestimated either, especially in innovation today. Thanks to the proliferation of open source code bases, cloud infrastructures, open standards like html etc., creating a new high-tech offering is remarkably accessible. The innovation of a product or service lies not in the complexity of the underlying technology, but rather in its user experience. Design, or its more evolved form as creative intelligence, forms the heart of user experience, and Silicon Valley has always been rife with artists, designers, and creative conceivers.

Immigration

Immigration is a less obvious but equally important ingredient. Brad Templeton, Director of the Electonic Frontier Foundation, wrote an excellent piece last year in Forbes magazine, The Real Secret Behind Silicon Valley’s Success, in which he recounts his epiphany during a high-end conference for PC and internet executives in the late 90s. A speaker wanted to make a point about immigration to the room, which was full of founders and top executives from high-tech companies, instructing, “If you were born outside the United States, please stand up.” And more than half of those in the room stood up.

Researchers from Duke University concluded in a report that immigrant-founded companies created over 450,000 jobs in 2005, and that 52% of startup founders in the U.S. were immigrants. Most of these people gave up a life somewhere else to come to Silicon Valley in order to live the entrepreneurial dream.

There is something in an immigrant’s DNA that lends itself to entrepreneurship. Perhaps it’s an absence of fear of new adventures, an ability to operate on the fringe of society, unconstrained by social norms and conventional thinking, the sink-or-swim pressure of starting over, or some combination of all of these factors plus others.

So what are the lessons for France ?

I submit that one lesson is to establish a smarter policy on immigration that doesn’t hamper the retention of talented entrepreneurial individuals, regardless of their familial attachments to the hexagon.

Another is to think carefully about the gravitational importance of proximity. The rumored choice of Saclay as the hub of the Paris Capitale Numérique initiative grossly neglects the proximity concept. Why the government overlooks the one area that ticks almost all the boxes, the Sentier district in central Paris, (which Liam Boogar wrote about a while ago) – a place with already a critical mass of entrepreneurs, conveniently accessible, and adjacent to the heart of the country’s fashion and design neighborhood – still escapes me.

As we like to say in France, here’s hoping the mayonaise takes…

Did you like it? 4.4/5 (25)

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

fleur pellerin silicon valley
Follow on Google News Follow on X (Twitter)
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Previous ArticleStartup Career Launchpad conference set to take-off on April 18-19th in London
Next Article Currently raising a round of funding, Fleex’s video Language-learning startup rolls out a premium service
Related Posts
Illustration of James Howells searching for his lost Bitcoin hard drive in a landfill. Image generated by AI.

“He’s Still Digging”: Man Who Lost $700 Million in Bitcoin 12 Years Ago in a Dump Faces Stunning New Twist in His Hunt

Illustration of a lost hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins buried in a landfill. Image generated by AI.

He Just Gave Up €200 Million in Bitcoin: After 12 Years of Digging Through Trash, the Lost Hard Drive Is Gone for Good

Illustration of a man sleeping with black tape over his lips. Image generated by AI.

“Doctors Sound the Alarm”: Viral Mouth Taping Trend Called Dangerous and Completely Unproven by Leading Medical Experts

Add A Comment
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Trending
Illustration of Ethiopia's tallest skyscraper project in Addis Ababa. Image generated by AI.
“Tallest Tower Dream Revived”: Ethiopia Relaunches Bold Project to Build Sub-Saharan Africa’s Most Ambitious Skyscraper Yet
Illustration of Apple's upcoming ultra-premium iPhone lineup for next fall. Image generated by AI.
“Apple Goes Ultra-Luxury”: Next Year’s iPhone Fall Lineup Set to Break Price Records With Premium Materials and Exclusive Features
Illustration of North Korean hackers using AI tools like ChatGPT for cryptocurrency theft. Image generated by AI.
“AI in the Wrong Hands”: North Korean Hackers Exploit ChatGPT to Steal Millions While Malaysian Funds Vanish in Digital Heist
News by category
  • English
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leisure
  • Transport
  • Science
  • Security
  • AI & Robotics
  • Energy
  • Sustainable Development
Information
  • Meet the Team
  • Legal notice
  • Privacy policy
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
© RudeBaguette.com. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.