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What's Happening Now

2026 Silicon Valley Poll: Taking the Valley’s pulse

logoWhat’s the emotional state of Silicon Valley? Find out at the 2026 Silicon Valley Poll Briefing on Wednesday, October 7 at Santa Clara University.

While the Silicon Valley Index provides our annual checkup, the Poll is our therapy session — revealing how residents really feel about life in the region.

Join us and connect with Silicon Valley’s leaders for new data and expert insight into our biggest challenges

Registration is $25. Reserve your seat today!

Briefing highlights: A social contract for data centers

network cables connected to portsSeptember 14, 2026 - Data centers have powered the digital economy for decades, enabling online services, cloud computing, and more. Today, as data centers respond to explosive demand for AI, their land, water, and energy needs are growing rapidly.

This creates significant planning challenges for local governments, who must prepare by setting clear standards and developing the right planning tools. Meeting the moment will require a new social contract, one that embraces innovation not only in technology, but also in policy and business models.

Read more: Strategies for responsible growth

Commercial development hits lowest level since 2012

cover imageSeptember 9, 2026 - Silicon Valley’s commercial space pipeline continued to contract through the second quarter of 2026, as in-progress development fell to its lowest level since 2012. Industrial and lab space accounted for all new development activity in the first half of 2026, while three of the past four quarters saw no new office completions.

Leasing activity remained strong, even as vacancy rates neared their highest levels since 2003 and asking rents continued to decline. Industrial was the only space type to see rising rents in 2026.

Read the report: Silicon Valley Commercial Space

Silicon Valley: One of the world's most global communities

rays of light arching over globe showing the connection of the broader global communityAugust 31, 2026 - Silicon Valley, widely recognized as a global innovation center, is also one of the world's most international communities. Two out of every five residents were born outside the United States — a share that ranks among cities like Geneva, Zurich, and Amsterdam. Within the tech workforce, that share rises to two out of every three.

The Valley’s international character is more than a demographic distinction — it is a defining strength that translates to a breadth of experience, language, and culture — and more than 4,500 cultural assets, including public art, festivals, and events.

Read the report: Silicon Valley’s foreign-born residents

See the trends shaping Silicon Valley — one post at a time

Indicator Insights

For years, you’ve relied on the neutral, nonpartisan Silicon Valley Index to track more than 150 key indicators surrounding the region’s economy and quality of life.

These data tell an important story — and now, we’re sharing it weekly. Want to know what’s really happening in our region? Tap below to visit Joint Venture Silicon Valley and subscribe.

Each Wednesday, one carefully chosen data point will land at your fingertips, chosen to drive the conversations that move Silicon Valley forward. Subscribe today — see where the data will lead you.

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2026 Silicon Valley Index: Hot Engine, Stalled Growth

cover imageThe 2026 Silicon Valley Index shows $92 billion in venture capital, more than 23,000 new patents, and hundreds of unicorns driving productivity. But with median home prices nearing $2 million and a quarter of households unable to meet basic needs, the gulf between Silicon Valley’s sky-high output and life on the ground remains clear.

“The economy has kept its pace,” said Russell Hancock, Joint Venture chief. “But it’s really tense out there.”

Download the Index and dive into more than 150 indicators charting Silicon Valley’s people, economy, society, place, and governance, available now.

Download the Index | Read the news release

Silicon Valley Indicators: All the data at your fingertips

indicators home page Stay informed and dive deeper into Silicon Valley’s story at www.siliconvalleyindicators.org — where you can find all the data, all in one place. Use the dashboard to find more than 150 unique datasets across five key categories: People, Economy, Society, Place, and Governance.

Discover trends across a wide range of topics—including venture capital, patents, housing, climate, and more. Powered by the Silicon Valley Institute for Regional Studies, the website utilizes advanced methodologies to provide deeper insight and inform decision-making, while linking users back to local, regional, and national sources.

What is Joint Venture Silicon Valley?

Joint Venture Silicon Valley is a think tank created and supported by the major sectors (business, government, labor and academia). Through the Institute for Regional Studies, the organization provides research assessing the Valley's challenges and opportunities; Joint Venture is also a platform where leaders develop shared priorities and take collaborative action.

Learn more

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The 2026 Silicon Valley Index briefings

Joint Venture CEO Russell Hancock summarized the major findings from the 2026 Silicon Valley Index in two long-format briefings, one detailing the health of the Silicon Valley economy and the innovation ecosystem; the other reviewing the Valley’s community health. Rather than employ panelists, Hancock enlisted regional luminaries to contribute to dialogue in their area of expertise.

Joint Venture’s 2026 State of the Valley conference was held on February 27 at San José State University. You can view the full playlist on our YouTube channel.

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2026 Silicon Valley Index

Download PDF The 2026 Silicon Valley Index shows $92 billion in venture capital, more than 23,000 new patents, and hundreds of unicorns driving productivity. But with median home prices nearing $2 million and a quarter of households unable to meet basic needs, the gulf between Silicon Valley’s sky-high output and life on the ground remains clear.

Learn more about the Silicon Valley Index online at siliconvalleyindicators.org.

Read the news release Download the report

2025 Silicon Valley Poll

report cover The 2025 Silicon Valley Poll reveals growing optimism about life in the Bay Area, even as respondents voice concerns about the direction of national and state policies.

Download the report View the data

Commercial Space Report Q2 - September 2026

cover Silicon Valley’s commercial space pipeline continued to contract through the second quarter of 2026, as in-progress development fell to its lowest level since 2012. Industrial and lab space accounted for all new development activity in the first half of 2026, while three of the past four quarters saw no new office completions.

Leasing activity remained strong, even as vacancy rates neared their highest levels since 2003 and asking rents continued to decline. Industrial was the only space type to see rising rents in 2026.

Download the report

In the News

September 13, 2026 - (KCBS Radio) - Leasing Activity at Stronger Than Ever Even While Vacancy Rates Are At Highest Level Since 2003  –  "The market is sending us a pretty clear signal," says Joint Venture Silicon Valley CEO Russell Hancock. "Silicon Valley is still expanding, but it's expanding differently." More.  

September 13, 2026 - (KCBS Radio) - Silicon Valley Building Less Commercial Space  – "Construction under way right now has fallen 87 percent from its peak in 2020," said Russell Hancock, president and CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley. More. 

September 11, 2026 - (Silicon Valley Business Journal) - An AI Boom is Fueling Silicon Valley's Next Expansion. Can it Keep Place? –  The event opens with a keynote from Russell Hancock, president and CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley. More. 

September 11, 2026 - (San Jose Mercury News) - Inflation Eases in the Bay Area But Gas Prices Rocket Higher –  How some workers in the Bay Area are affected by wage growth varies, said Russell Hancock, president of San Jose-based think tank Joint Venture Silicon Valley. More. 

September 4, 2026 - (NBC Bay Area) - Interest Rates Might Not Go Down Yet. Here's Why –  "It's ag-tech, ed-tech, fin-tech, and health-tech," said Russell Hancock, Joint Venture CEO. "All of these sectors are utilizing tech and creating jobs. Meanwhile, the tech sector itself is eliminating jobs." More. 

September 3, 2026 - (Liberty Nation News) - DEI Gets the America First Treatment - India-born employees account for 23 percent and China-born for 18 percent – together outnumbering U.S.-born workers at just 34 percent, according to a 2025 Joint Venture Silicon Valley report. More. 

September 2, 2026 - (Journalarta) - Trump Admnistration Revives Plans to End Work Permits - "Many techies are married, so they have to make plans for their spouses," Russell Hancock told the Mercury News. More. 

September 1, 2026 - (New York Post) - The "Progressive" Movement Rebels Against the Tech Oligarchs - “Silicon Valley, once a bastion of upward mobility, has become increasingly unequal, according to a recent report by Joint Venture Silicon Valley. More. 

August 31, 2026 - (San Jose Mercury News) - H-1B Visa: Trump Administration Proposes New Rule For Visa-Holders' Spouses - “Many techies are married, and in Silicon Valley you can't make it on a single income,” said Russell Hancock, CEO of think tank Joint Venture Silicon Valley. More. 

August 24, 2026 - (California Globe) - Trump Administration Proposes $`03,265 H-1B Fee - India-born employees account for 23 percent and China-born for 18 percent–together outnumbering U.S.-born workers at just 34 percent, according to a 2025 Joint Venture Silicon Valley report. More. 

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