“Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.”—Mark Twain
Did you know: 43% of all U.S. venture capital in 2008 went to the San Francisco Bay Area.
California on its last legs? I probably heard that sorry story five times in my 30-plus year residence, roughly 1966–2000.
What a crock!
Then!
Now!
Check out this week’s Time cover story, “The End of California? Dream on!“
Here’s an excerpt:
“Ignore the California whinery. It’s still a dream state. In fact the pioneering megastate that gave us microchips, freeways, blue jeans, tax revolts, extreme sports, energy efficiency [CA’s per capita energy consumption index has gone down steadily for the last 40 years while the U.S. overall has gone up], health clubs, Google searches, Craigslist, iPhones, and the Hollywood vision of success is still the cutting edge of the American future—economically, environmentally, demographically, culturally, and maybe politically. It’s the greenest and most diverse state, the most globalized in general and most Asia-oriented in particular at a time when the world is heading in all those directions. It’s also an unparalleled engine of innovation, the mecca of high tech, biotech, and now cleantech. In 2008, California’s wipeout economy attracted more venture capital than the rest of the nation combined. Somehow its supposedly hostile business climate has nurtured Google, Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Facebook, Twitter, Disney, Cisco, Intel, eBay, YouTube, MySpace, The Gap, and countless other companies that drive the way we live.”
I’ll close with this quote from genomics guru Craig Venter: “This is the most dynamic place for change on earth. That’s why we’re here.”
I suggest you delay the publication of the obit.
Roll on, mighty California!