Silicon Valley has become a geographic metaphor for the Innovation Economy. Yet, it is a relatively small geographic area comprising Santa Clara County and adjacent parts of San Mateo, Alameda, and Santa Cruz counties, with a population of more than 2.5 million people. While the city of San Francisco, located 20 miles north of Silicon Valley, is a worldwide cosmopolitan attraction, Silicon Valley actually has triple the population of San Francisco, with average population growth rates of between 10% to 15% in its counties over the 10 years between 1990 and 2000. San Jose, the largest city in Silicon Valley, increased its population by over 14% during the 1990s, passing San Francisco in size , and is a far more dynamic market than its better-known neighboring city. The term "Silicon Valley" has become generic for worldwide regional technology environments or habitats, all plugging into the global hightech economy. Silicon Valley combines all of the elements we have discussed as emblematic of the emerging regional networks, with a world-class educational institution (Stanford University), a high concentration of venture capital and risk management, an entrepreneurial spirit, highly skilled immigrants, and companies and linking associations that support each other in a regional network. Table 2-1. Facts at a Glance ” Silicon Valley
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