Wannabe: How Group Think Hurts Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley likes to think of itself as a meritocracy, where anyone can show up with a suitcase and a great idea and get funded. But that's not really how it works. Most venture cash flows to entrepreneurs with a proven record, an elite educational background, or somebody plugged in to vouch for them. Very often, the backers with the cash are looking for somebody who reminds them of the last blockbuster company that made it big in the Valley, not the out-of-the-blue idea that's hard to get-- and even harder to write checks for. This talk will look at the status quo and present some ideas on breaking in for people who don't meet the profile.
Presenters
Sarah McBride
Correspondent
Thomson Reuters
Sarah covers venture capital for Reuters, based in San Francisco. Previously, she worked for the Wall Street Journal in its Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Washington, DC bureaus. She has also done some work for NPR, with her reports airing on shows such as Morning Edition. She will talk this year at SXSW Interactive on meritocracy in Silicon Valley. The talk is Monday March 10 at 5 pm, Hilton Austin, Salon C. Twitter: @mcbridesg