Creating Regional Wealth in the Innovation Economy: Models, Perspectives, and Best Practices

Chapter 2. Global Entrepreneurs and Marketing of Multinational Companies

Silicon Valley has become a geographic metaphor for the Innovation Economy. Yet, it is a relatively small geographic area comprising Santa Clara County and adjacent parts of San Mateo, Alameda, and Santa Cruz counties, with a population of more than 2.5 million people. While the city of San Francisco, located 20 miles north of Silicon Valley, is a worldwide cosmopolitan attraction, Silicon Valley actually has triple the population of San Francisco, with average population growth rates of between 10% to 15% in its counties over the 10 years between 1990 and 2000. San Jose, the largest city in Silicon Valley, increased its population by over 14% during the 1990s, passing San ...