UWE DOST
Go Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
In comparison, there is no place in the world, almost magical, where the impossible becomes possible, like in Silicon Valley. On my numerous trips there over the last 20 years, I myself experienced Silicon Valley as an inspiring place with a spreading positive mood, through an honest openness and willingness to talk as well as a literally sprouting creativity. In this community you speak to each other and are immediatelly >> connected <<.
It is the place where the world's best visionaries, incubators, innovators, academics, venture capital firms, lawyers, and accountants, are concentrated and shake hands.
On behalf of renowned venture capital companies from Silicon Valley, I am looking for innovations in the technology sector, from the entire German-speaking world. The ideal founder should be mid-20, unbound, without family and willing to subordinate everything to his idea.
Risk taking
Risk taking
Paul Graham said, "It is not an “accident" that the Silicon Valley is not home to France, Germany, England or Japan because in these countries people think only within their boundaries and do not dare to go beyond the borders to get further. In the US, it is called "Risk Taking." In contrast to the culture in German-speaking countries and Europe in general, where risk taking is associated with fear, so risks have to be under all circumstances be avoided or eliminated, where in comparison to the US it has a positive outlook attached to it.
To create a start-up and turn it into a successful enterprise, it needs two varieties of "Risk takers," the intrepid founder with a brilliant idea, on the other hand the brave investor who is ready to take the risk >>Venture << to finance. Another important prerequisite is the common treatment of success and failure. An insolvency in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland means a malus in the CV, in the USA this is an indicator for a positive learning experience and the basis for a successful second chance.
Core Theory
Venture capital firms in Silicon Valley follow a core theory, that essentially the output of a technology company is based on innovation, this is different from other industries. The main output of an automobile company are cars.
The fundamental output of a bank are loans. Challenging for technology companies is that their subjective is the fact that they can not rest on their laurels with their current products. You always have to think about what will come next in periods of the next five years. If they are good and have an internal innovation machine, they will develop very well over time.
Plug and Play
Plug and Play
Every computer and electronics user knows the term "plug and play." This phrase is precisely the core principle of Saed Amidi's company. In 2006 he founded 'Plug and Play' and is based in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley. For decades his father established connection building relationships in the Valley, which resulted in a significant capital, and this is how Saed Amidi was able to build a solid foundation for his company. Plug-and-Play has so far managed 1200 start-ups, which have absorbed more than $ 1 billion in venture capital. In 2013 'Plug and Play' made 62 own investments in start-ups and managed 150 Silicon Valley and 100 international start-ups.
'Plug and Play' is notably international, although broadly thematic. There are special formats for the industries trade, insurance, and bitcoin, as well as great partnerships with companies from the industry.
The Epicentre
For Amidi, the Silicon Valley is the epicentre for start-ups, just like Hollywood for the film industry. Only in Silicon Valley, you find the founding culture, investors, and examples of successes and failures in the start-up business like in no other. 'Plug and Play' is particularly attractive for business angels, professional asset managers, and family offices as well as medium-sized and larger companies looking for strategic investments for their core business.
In the year 2000, I visited the Silicon Valley for the first time, as a start-up founder, and have been cooperating with Plug & Play in Sunnyvale for 10 years. Since that time, I was able to position a dozen start-ups at this location. By the end of this year there will be a total of 20 startups.
