Silicon Valley

Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard are known for creating the 'founding' Silicon Valley company Hewlett-Packard

During the company's early years, Hewlett and Packard established a management approach called "the HP Way." The approach, which was considered radical at the time, helped shape the way Silicon Valley is run today.

Bob Noyce coinvented the integrated circuit, cofounded Intel and Fairchild Semiconductor, and is considered one of the founders of Silicon Valley

Some even called Noyce the "Mayor of Silicon Valley." According to Steve Jobs, he was the "ultimate inventor, rebel, and entrepreneur." This Founders episode dissects an article from 1983 that explains Noyce's lasting impact.

Shenzhen, China is known as the 'Silicon Valley of Hardware'

The "Silicon Valley of Hardware" is a major manufacturing hub. This WIRED documentary from 2016 does a deep dive into how this Chinese city's practice of copycat manufacturing alongside its innovative culture has made it China's own Silicon Valley.

See an analysis of the similarities between the characters in 'Silicon Valley' and the real people who inspired them

The HBO show "Silicon Valley" follows the story of an engineer who is trying to get his startup to take off in Silicon Valley. While one tech CEO said the show is like a documentary, many speculate the show is based on real life tech figures like Mark Zuckerberg and Peter Thiel.

The main bank serving Silicon Valley startups and venture capitalists collapsed in 2023

Silicon Valley Bank—the 16th largest bank in the US—served many tech startups in the area as well as many venture capitalists. The bank collapsed in 2023—in a single day, bankers took out $42B.

Before Silicon Valley, the American innovation hub was New Jersey

Today, Silicon Valley is known for its dominance in the tech world. But before it rose to prominence, New Jersey was the country's innovation hub. From Thomas Edison's light bulb to the transistor, New Jersey was considered the nation's leader in technology.

Worth more than $14T, Silicon Valley may be getting too expensive for future founders

Silicon Valley, the 1,800-square-mile hub of tech innovation, reached more than $14T in market value in 2024. Home to industry giants like Apple and Adobe, its influence is undeniable. But rising costs and corporate relocations raise questions about its future.

Before Silicon Valley became the largest tech hub in the world, it was an agricultural area known for its flowers and fruit

It was called the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” This video by Vox explains how the area went from growing prunes to producing computer chips. It also explains how Stanford University had a big impact on the area’s development.

Silicon Valley’s history in technology can be traced back to the late 1800s

From its developments in radio, defense technology, and personal computing, Silicon Valley has been associated with innovating tech for more than a century. This animated timeline of Silicon Valley’s history helps visualize its evolution.

See Silicon Valley's real estate, employment, population, and innovation statistics

As a leader in the global economy, Silicon Valley's growth is closely watched around the world. In 2025, companies in the region posted $92B in venture capital deals and created 23,000 new patents. The average wage in the region is $189K, which is much higher than the national average, but the median home price sits around $2.25M—which calls the sustainability of the region's living standards into question.