Finding the 'Next Silicon Valley'

Tech trends in 2011 included cloud computing, seed accelerators and everything Apple, including the sad loss of the company’s co-founder, Steve Jobs in October. Another trend one surely couldn’t help noticing in 2011 that is likely to continue in 2012 is the endless proclamations that this city or that is “the next Silicon Valley.” In 2011, hubs both large, small and in between were at various times touted in the press as the next place where innovation and investment will come together in a magic potion and poof! – create the next Silicon Valley.

New York, Moscow, Berlin, Jakarta, Shanghai, Dunedin, Canberra and Chattanooga all came across the news feed this year as contenders for the next potential birthplace of a billion dollar startup (or two). Many were first mentioned on the website that has capitalised on the craze and seized the domain name The Next Silicon Valley.com. But just as quickly as one place pops up as “the next”, it is replaced by another. The phenomenon, says Viki Forrest, CEO of ANZA Technology Network, a business accelerator that works with companies migrating to the real Silicon Valley “only proves that the model here continues to be the standard that all other places with talented tech-savvy populations and those willing to take some risks want to emulate.” (Read more at Technology Spectator)