Now that Michael is starting a faculty position at Stanford, I have joined him on some Stanford events, which have interestingly brought back some Harvard memories. Stanford is often described as the Harvard of the west coast, although I am sure that die-hard Stanford fans would not like that description. There are definitely some parallels and similarities.
I still cannot claim to know many people at Stanford. However, the few I have met made me think that almost every faculty member at Stanford has started a company, is involved in a startup company, or is about to start a company. It seems that the Silicon Valley mentality has permeated through the campus. As a result, they are often very well connected to not only other academics, but also startup entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, foundations, and sometimes even elite law firms. To most of the academics, it is not difficult to understand and appreciate what is going on in the corporate world, or even what are the usual challenges facing startup companies. Over dinner, the faculty members could cover topics all the way from some latest discoveries in very basic research (which I can hardly understand), to the strategic and operational issues at companies they started (which I understand well).
The past two days were the Canary Foundation event at Stanford. Canary Foundation (www.canaryfoundation.org) was founded by a former Silicon Valley executive Don Listwin, who has made many millions from his Cisco days as well as other business pursuits. The two-day symposium event brought all the people involved in this foundation, as well as those funded by this foundation. The reception/dinner of the first day was held at the beautiful Ford Garden of the Stanford Alumni Center. The second day was much better – it was held in the garden of Don Listwin’s home in Woodside, which with soaring redwood trees, luscious lawns, elegant fountains, and blossoming azaleas can perhaps easily host a few hundred guests. While I am sure that it is the result of serious gardening and landscaping effort, it gives one the impression that it is a house set in beautiful natural scenery, without any artificial interference. The scientific posters were leaned against the redwood trees, and people walked around with wine glasses in hand, asking questions about these posters. It was absolutely classy. I loved it.
Don Listwin was teary-eyed when he gave out the awards. I am glad to see that he cares so much about the mission. It will be good if more people who have made many millions could be like him, devoting energy, time and resources to some important initiatives that are underfunded. Harold Varmus came, as well as many other famous scientists in the cancer field.
I guess what strikes me most about the Bay Area is the close connection between the academic world and the commercial world. The academics are very keen in getting exposed to the commercial side, so that they can get their discoveries or technologies commercialized. The business people are very interested in the latest breakthroughs from the labs, not only as possible starting points of companies when they are active in the corporate world, but also as a focus of their charitable effort when they have decided to retire from the corporate world. It is an enlivening and exciting milieu that would never leave you bored.
Perhaps there is a good reason for such outrageously inflated real estate prices in the Bay Area…
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