Diversity
Perspectives on Diversity
R. Sean Randolph, Ph.D.
President and CEO
Bay Area Council Economic Institute
Much of the Bay Area’s remarkable creativity stems from the diversity of its residents. Since the Gold Rush of the mid-1800s, the region has been a magnet for adventurous, creative and free-thinking people from around the world. They come because of the region’s tolerant and receptive social climate, its openness to new ideas, and its track record as a place that both produces and implements innovative concepts, often ahead of the rest of the world. In short, they come for the opportunity that few other places in the world can offer.
The contributions of this community of global innovators and entrepreneurs are fundamental to the history and future of the region’s economy and its leadership in science and technology. Technology companies and laboratories, and universities’ graduate departments in computer science, physics and engineering are filled by a global community of scientists and researchers. As much as a third of Silicon Valley’s engineering workforce is foreign-born. Chinese and Indian scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs in particular play leading roles. Roughly 15 percent of Silicon Valley start-ups have been launched by immigrants from India, and many of the region’s iconic companies have Indian founders. Indian immigrants have been responsible for advances in a range of technologies, from Ethernet, to fiber optics, to chip design. Chinese immigrants are equally influential, having launched more than 2000 tech companies. Many of these leaders in the region’s technology community are now helping to export Silicon Valley’s model back to their home countries, spurring local innovation and business formation.
The region’s story isn’t limited to China and India. Reflecting its diverse population, nearly forty percent of Bay Area households speak a language other than English at home. The region hosts and continues to attract investment and research centers from a wide array of European and other global companies. This diverse community is central to the Bay Area’s role as the world’s premier marketplace for ideas.