Leaders | The new geography of innovation

Why startups are leaving Silicon Valley

Its primacy as a technology hub is on the wane. That is cause for concern

“LIKE Florence in the Renaissance.” That is a common description of what it is like to live in Silicon Valley. America’s technology capital has an outsize influence on the world’s economy, stockmarkets and culture. This small portion of land running from San Jose to San Francisco is home to three of the world’s five most valuable companies. Giants such as Apple, Facebook, Google and Netflix all claim Silicon Valley as their birthplace and home, as do trailblazers such as Airbnb, Tesla and Uber. The Bay Area has the 19th-largest economy in the world, ranking above Switzerland and Saudi Arabia.

This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Peak Valley”

Peak Valley: Why startups are going elsewhere

From the September 1st 2018 edition

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