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Sure, green has become the new gold of California, and this time, it is worth digging!
For the past few months, my inbox has been clogged by invitations to attend seminars or events on greentech, not really my main focus since I am in the software business.
John Doerr, one of the most respected and powerful VCs of the Silicon Valley, has two major powers: the power of influencing the local VC community, which I assume is the largest in the world, and the power of influencing local industry leaders, and there is aplenty here in California.
Listening to his speech is a MUST, so I am not to repeat here much of what he said
However, I cannot resist sharing a few excerpts:
- The best way to predict the future is to invent it; the second best way is to finance it.
- Going green is bigger business opportunity than the Internet. It could be the major industry of the 21st century.
- Entrepreneurs do more than anyone thinks possible with less than anyone thinks possible.
And it works!
California was the first state in America to mandate a 25% reduction of CO2 by 2020, thanks to the efforts of Doerr’s lobbying group.
Local VCs are investing massively in greentech ventures, and large corporations are following. I remember attending an event at Stanford last November, during which Charlie Rose interviewed high-tech leaders, including Gates and McNeally (not at the same time, thanks God!). They all talked about how their company was moving toward producing more “environmental friendly” solutions, and more generally becoming greener. People like Doerr have the power to influence Sun of course, but also HP, Intel, Google, Ebay, etc.
I cannot resist commenting on what Doerr says about Wal-Mart’s massive investments toward greentech, especially since Wal-Mart is not really my role-model company. If Wal-Mart has engaged massively into greentech, it sure means to me that companies can increase their profit while saving the planet, a win-win situation!
It is more than urgent to stop saying that global warming is a hoax and start acting. Be part of the Silicon Verde!
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