The Ottawa Business Journal has been printing a continuing series that examines the
state of the ecosystem necessary to successfully bring technology to market. Based
on dozens of interviews with entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors,
business leaders, academics, tech-transfer experts and policy makers, this series
looks at what is working and what can be improved in the go-to-market ecosystem in
the United States, Canada and Britain. It originally appeared on Francis-Moran.com.

                                                       

The fifth part of the series - Silicon Valley: A Big Bright Heat Lamp for Startup
Incubation  should have been entitled: Canada: Looking for its Business Mojo in
California.

The article examines what constitutes the ecosystem that gives America, particularly
California and more specifically the Silicon Valley the ability to attract the top people
from around the world and provide them with the varied resources they need to
build success.

Unfortunately the article illustrates envy if not a negativity towards California’s
success in formulating such a global hot bed for business.  The premise of the article
is really about the business opportunities for Canadians that stem from the Silicon Valley.

                                                     

Apparently, there are some 300,000 ex-pat Canadians living in what the article
identified as “the orbit of California’s technology sector – Silicon Valley.”  Two
such ex-pat Canadians, Anthony Lee, general partner at Altos Ventures and Chris
Albinson managing partner of Panorama Ventures co-founded an organization known as
C100 in the Silicon Valley.  C100 is a non-profit, member-driven organization dedicated
to supporting Canadian technology entrepreneurship and investment, comprised of a
select group of Canadians based primarily in the Valley, including executives of
leading technology companies, experienced startup entrepreneurs and venture capital
investors.

"We’re trying to give Canadians as much of an unfair advantage as we can," said Lee.
"We are trying to leverage the talent pool down here to provide that success path, to
provide mentors, connections and access to funding."

The Canadians may be late to the game in the "Golden State"  given that other countries
like Ireland, China and  Bahrain have already created business centers if not incubators in
California.  However, kudos to the Cunucks for embracing the living laboratory of innovation
and business incubation known as California.  Of interest, Canada is the second largest
trading partner with California.  It’s about time they took such a step.


Tim Johnson
www.CaliforniaBusinessMinute.com