• 2011 Newsletters
  • June 2011 - Smart Grid, Palo Alto wireless, SVEDA website, Peninsula broker breakfast, Jennifer Seguin

Valley Vision Newsletter Archive
Smart Grid Diagram

ConnectivityWeek panels focus on Joint Venture Smart Grid

Joint Venture's pioneering Smart Grid efforts were the focus of two panel discussions by industry leaders, entrepreneurs and investors at the ConnectivityWeek conference in Santa Clara last week. Kelly Krpata, who holds the Applied Materials chair at Joint Venture and directs our Climate Prosperity Initiative, participated in both panels.

In a morning session, Krpata outlined the Moffett Business Park project, where Smart Grid, micro-grid and sustainable buildings are all on the drawing board for implementation by a broad-ranging public-private partnership organized by Joint Venture. Joining Kelly on the panel were representatives of Innovari Energy, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and NetApp. The afternoon panel explored the potential economic impact on Silicon Valley of the Smart Grid in general.

Click here to learn more about the Climate Prosperity Initiative.

     

Palo Alto City Council debates wireless infrastructure

Joint Venture brought its message of the need for a broader wireless infrastructure to the Palo Alto City Council in May amid intense local debate about the impact of wireless facilities.

Leon Beauchman, director of Joint Venture's Wireless Communications Initiative, advised the city council at its May 16 meeting to prepare for the continued explosion of smart phone

users with additional cell towers and wireless antennas. The session was organized by Joint Venture in collaboration with the city council.

Wireless Communications Initiative co-chairs, David Casas of the Los Altos City Council and Dr. Edwin Tasch of Kaiser Permanente, and several members of the steering committee also attended. Palo Alto city staff will be preparing recommendations for the city council regarding the process for reviewing applications from wireless carriers. The WCI will be working with staff and carriers to provide input.

To view the session at the May 16 city council meeting, click here.
To read Leon Beauchman's guest column in the Palo Alto Weekly, click here.
To learn more and join our Coalition for a 21st Century Wireless Infrastructure, click here.

Upgraded resources for businesses now on Silicon Valley EDA website

Are you looking for commercial property or information about starting or growing a business in Silicon Valley? The Silicon Valley Economic Development Alliance has a freshly updated website at Silicon Valley Online that has enhanced features to help businesses connect quickly with cities, counties and ancillary services.

Among the features on the site are high-quality commercial property listings, a calendar of business events, an improved news section, an interactive map of jurisdictions, an expanded directory of associations, a resource guide for state and local tools and organizations and information about the Silicon Valley workforce.

Click here to visit Silicon Valley Online.
Click here to learn more about the Silicon Valley EDA.
KLIV Studio

KLIV program explores Silicon Valley's patent backlog

Tessera CEO Hank Nothhaft and Wilson Sonsini patent law expert Vern Norviel discussed the backlog in patent applications and the need for a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office branch in Silicon Valley on Joint Venture's latest radio program on KLIV. Joint Venture CEO Russell Hancock hosts the show.

To listen to the program, click here.
Pacific Shores

Peninsula Broker Breakfast June 15 in Redwood City

The Silicon Valley Economic Development Alliance and the Urban Land Institute are hosting a Peninsula Broker Breakfast at the Pacific Shores Center in Redwood City on Wednesday, June 15, at 7:30 am.

Economic development and planning executives from East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, San Carlos and San Mateo will highlight opportunity sites and share the latest news on major planning and development activities in their cities. There will also be information about the new Bay Area Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Fund. 

To register, email .
     

Article of the Month - "Time for a reality check on the return of IPOs" - San Jose Mercury News

In his May 13 column, Mercury News columnist Chris O'Brien says that despite the resurgence of IPOs in Silicon Valley, experts say the drought is not over, and may never be.

Read his column here.
     

Joint Venture Spotlight - Jennifer Seguin, City of San Jose Environmental Services

It was back in the spring of 2001 that Jennifer Seguin finally decided she'd been in denial to herself and others for too long. It was time she owned up to her real identity.

After fifteen years in the private sector, I woke up one day and it hit me," she confessed in a recent visit with Valley Vision. "I had always been a closet environmentalist. It more closely aligned with my personal passion."

Now after ten years on the public side, Seguin is the Supervising Environmental Services Specialist for the City of San Jose, and she co-chairs Joint Venture's Public Sector Climate Task Force.

To read her profile, click here.


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