4 ms·

I don't see why anyone would think fast internet access is the key to "the next silicon valley". Silicon Valley existed as a tech hub before the internet, and

by gozur88 10y ago

I don't see why anyone would think fast internet access is the key to "the next silicon valley". Silicon Valley existed as a tech hub before the internet, and all sorts of cities across Europe and Asia have fast internet. Silicon Valley is going to be difficult to displace for the same reason Facebook is difficult to displace - the network effect. Companies come to the SF bay area looking for talent, and talent comes looking for jobs. You can start your company somewhere far cheaper (an nicer, IMO), but people who are used to switching jobs every 18 months are going to be a hard sell on relocation.

blackguardx 10y ago
You make good points, but it is hard to imagine a tech boom taking off in an area with poor internet access.
- striking 10y ago
  But even 25Mb/s (the current US broadband standard) is enough to start a tech business. As long as you don't experience any interruptions, you could readily host your systems on the cloud, and then migrate your business to somewhere more internet ready / pay for better internet when you get the cash.
- gozur88 10y ago
  I agree. Fast internet is necessary but not (even close to) sufficient.
- simplehuman 10y ago
  So is electricity and water. Can you make a good silicon valley with kick-ass water supply? The article's premise is broken.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
- imthebigfoot 10y ago
  You mean there is no chance for a tech boom in Australia ?
- tomaha 10y ago
  One of the first things I noticed after moving to Silicon Valley was that internet access here is surprisingly bad and expensive. You'll likely only have one choice and have to live with it. Most areas in Europe will give you faster, cheaper, and more options to choose from. I got used to it but still don't get why in the heart of tech you can't get 1 Gbit or even 100 Mbit connections for a reasonable price.
sien 10y ago
This list of places with 'Silicon' shows just how much people try to create Silicon Valley in other places and how they have not succeeded. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_with_%22Silicon%22_names https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_with_%22Silicon...
- ndonnellan 10y ago
  To be fair, Austin does have a substantial semi-conductor presence. But we're still an order of magnitude behind SV levels of funding. Need one or two Googles for that.
  - pm90 10y ago
    I don't think Google made SV. There are a bunch of factors: presence of high quality research universities (UC system, Stanford, Caltech etc.) combined with a succession of successful tech companies (Fairchild, Intel etc.) that created a bunch of VC's that invested in more startups etc. Texas does have UT, TAMU etc. Maybe we need a couple of mega successful home-grown startups. Or perhaps the different tech companies starting up offices in Austin will create the density of engineers to reach that critical level where startups can find all the talent they need locally. I have a feeling it won't be the same path that SV took though.
- imthebigfoot 10y ago
  wow. amazing. Isn't the SV called that way simply because this is where they used to manufacture silicon based chips AND because the US is one of the main silicon producers, and because it is a valley ? I mean you can create a drink today and call it "sien cola", that does not mean you are going to sell a 100 million bottles per day tomorrow as a result of your "awesome" marketing strategy. Why does everyone call their startup scene silicon something ? It's like Bollywood which is not going to compete with Hollywood just because it has the same name. Or these Chinese companies which brand their phone "Appel" or their car "Felali". They are not going to compete with Apple and Ferrari. I may be wrong, but I don't think this strategy works.
  - 10y ago
mathattack 10y ago
Yes. It's flexibility of both talent and capital to flood the most promising ideas and starve the worst ones. In areas where companies are more stable, and people more risk-averse, it's harder for the giants to emerge. Adding super-fast internet does nothing to change this.

by gozur88 10y ago

blackguardx 10y ago

You make good points, but it is hard to imagine a tech boom taking off in an area with poor internet access.

striking 10y ago
But even 25Mb/s (the current US broadband standard) is enough to start a tech business. As long as you don't experience any interruptions, you could readily host your systems on the cloud, and then migrate your business to somewhere more internet ready / pay for better internet when you get the cash.
gozur88 10y ago
I agree. Fast internet is necessary but not (even close to) sufficient.
simplehuman 10y ago
So is electricity and water. Can you make a good silicon valley with kick-ass water supply? The article's premise is broken.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
imthebigfoot 10y ago
You mean there is no chance for a tech boom in Australia ?
tomaha 10y ago
One of the first things I noticed after moving to Silicon Valley was that internet access here is surprisingly bad and expensive. You'll likely only have one choice and have to live with it. Most areas in Europe will give you faster, cheaper, and more options to choose from. I got used to it but still don't get why in the heart of tech you can't get 1 Gbit or even 100 Mbit connections for a reasonable price.

sien 10y ago

This list of places with 'Silicon' shows just how much people try to create Silicon Valley in other places and how they have not succeeded. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_with_%22Silicon%22_names https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_with_%22Silicon...

ndonnellan 10y ago
To be fair, Austin does have a substantial semi-conductor presence. But we're still an order of magnitude behind SV levels of funding. Need one or two Googles for that.
- pm90 10y ago
  I don't think Google made SV. There are a bunch of factors: presence of high quality research universities (UC system, Stanford, Caltech etc.) combined with a succession of successful tech companies (Fairchild, Intel etc.) that created a bunch of VC's that invested in more startups etc. Texas does have UT, TAMU etc. Maybe we need a couple of mega successful home-grown startups. Or perhaps the different tech companies starting up offices in Austin will create the density of engineers to reach that critical level where startups can find all the talent they need locally. I have a feeling it won't be the same path that SV took though.
imthebigfoot 10y ago
wow. amazing. Isn't the SV called that way simply because this is where they used to manufacture silicon based chips AND because the US is one of the main silicon producers, and because it is a valley ? I mean you can create a drink today and call it "sien cola", that does not mean you are going to sell a 100 million bottles per day tomorrow as a result of your "awesome" marketing strategy. Why does everyone call their startup scene silicon something ? It's like Bollywood which is not going to compete with Hollywood just because it has the same name. Or these Chinese companies which brand their phone "Appel" or their car "Felali". They are not going to compete with Apple and Ferrari. I may be wrong, but I don't think this strategy works.
- 10y ago

mathattack 10y ago

Yes. It's flexibility of both talent and capital to flood the most promising ideas and starve the worst ones. In areas where companies are more stable, and people more risk-averse, it's harder for the giants to emerge. Adding super-fast internet does nothing to change this.