Frequently Asked Questions
Q:What is Joint Venture Silicon Valley?
A:
Joint Venture Silicon Valley is the region’s think tank, created and supported by the region’s major sectors (government, business, labor, academia). The organization serves as Silicon Valley’s clearing house for data, and provides a steady stream of research and analysis. The findings of that research are taken up by the region’s leaders, and Joint Venture facilitates their dialogue and discussion. As a result of those discussions, the organization is occasionally used as a test bed for fiscally-sponsored projects.
Q:How do you define Silicon Valley?
A:
Silicon Valley is really a phenomenon more than a place, one fueled by innovation and entrepreneurship. That phenomenon is taking place throughout the entire Bay Area. At Joint Venture we think of Silicon Valley extending from San Francisco to San Jose and Fremont, a footprint that takes in at least 40 cities and five different counties.
Q:Is Joint Venture a lobbying organization?
A:
No. Joint Venture is not involved in lobbying or advocacy. We are a 501 (C) 3 organization, classified as a nonprofit. Contributions are tax-deductible.
Q:How is Joint Venture funded?
A:
Joint Venture receives funds from more than 40 cities and agencies and more than 100 corporations that invest on an annual basis. The organization also receives some foundation support.
Q:Aren’t there a lot of groups out there doing similar things?
A:
There are chambers of commerce, but they have a narrower and less regional agenda, and they don’t do research. The Bay Area Council is a business-sponsored organization advocating a business point of view on behalf of its members, and its focus is the entire nine-county region (including Napa, Sonoma, Marin, and Alameda Counties). The Silicon Valley Leadership Group is likewise a business advocacy organization. SPUR is a research organization focusing on urban planning and design issues, mostly in the Bay Area's three largest cities.
Joint Venture, by contrast, is a neutral and nonpartisan think tank focused on Silicon Valley. We do not engage in advocacy. Instead, we provide objective research and analysis on issues that affect Silicon Valley as a whole — issues that transcend city boundaries and require a regional perspective. Our work serves and informs leaders across the region’s major sectors, including business, government, nonprofits, academia, and labor.
