But dozens of venture capital firms line this street, representing some of the most powerful investors in one of the most influential businesses in the country. These companies are changing the way the world computes and communicates, and many got their start with assistance from Sand Hill Road venture capital firms. Trouble was, nobody knew what I was talking about. I spent the first ten minutes of my one-hour talk explaining the concept to them, which was a new experience for me. I had been living in the bubble so long that it hadn't occurred to me that people outside it might not know what I was talking about.
Silicon Valley is a place for people with ideas.
It is a place where the right idea at the right time can yield remarkable returns for investors and entrepreneurs. It is known, rightly, as a place of simmering, sometimes spouting, creative enterprise. How ironic, then, that the venture capitalists who nurture this creativity aren't more creative in their choices of where to meet, eat, and mingle. The best example of this is the phenomenon of the Silicon Valley breakfast. Breakfast is a prime time here for discussing potential deals.