Silicon Valley comes to Cambridge

Source: Exec Digital UK

Date :15/11/2007 12:27:37

NESTA and Silicon Valley Connect host a major forum for entrepreneurs, venture capital and technology innovators.

Today sees the start of a three-day event designed to get the entrepreneurs and technology companies of the UK – and in particular its ‘golden triangle’ defined by London, Cambridge and Oxford – thinking about how the next generation of disruptive technology companies can catch the fair winds from market, capital funding and innovation.

Guidance

It’s organised by NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) and Silicon Valley Connect. Iconic entrepreneurs, including Megan Smith (Google), Hermann Hauser (Amadeus Capital Partners) and Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn), and investors such as James Slavet (Greylock), and Emily Melton (DFJ) will share their views on the latest and most innovative disruptive business models, providing best practice advice on how and why they came to create and fund some of today's most successful disruptive technology companies. They will also identify key emerging technologies, and provide analysis on which companies are growing the fastest.

Commenting on the forum, Sherry Coutu (pictured), trustee of NESTA and Finance Board member of Cambridge University said:

“This is an amazing opportunity for students and alumni of Cambridge University and Judge Business School to make personal connections with, and gain inspiration from, the movers and shakers in Silicon Valley who have created the leading gorilla companies of today.

Impact

“We know the leaders of tomorrow are here at Cambridge and we hope that this event will supercharge them so that they are more able to make an even bigger difference in the world by starting or joining companies that will dominate the global scene in a few years’ time.”

Exec magazine and our website have privileged access to the event and the speakers.

Watch out for daily coverage including video of the inaugural debate taking place at the Cambridge Union Society this evening on the premiss “This house maintains that Europe, not Silicon Valley, will become the best place to build the future billion-dollar companies.”

November 15, 2007