VCWatch: Code Red In Silicon Valley Says Bob Ackerman - Government Killing Innovation
By Tom Foremski - August 7, 2009
I just spoke with Bob Ackerman, founder of Allegis Capital, and he is very concerned about innovation in Silicon Valley, primarily because of the cumulative impact of US government actions and regulations.
Here are some notes from our conversation:
- I'm very worried about the seed corn, that we won't have that next crop of innovative companies five, ten years in the future.
- Innovation is in trouble because of restrictions on H1B visas; unfavorable tax policies regarding stock options; the failure to change Sarbanes-Oxley in regards to startups which increases costs; and the government investing billions of dollars picking winners and losers, such as the bailout of the automakers. It's all building into a crescendo that harms innovation.
- I'm afraid that Washington doesn't understand venture capital and what we do. The Treasury department wants to regulate VC firms in the same way as hedge funds and private equity. This is wrong. VC firms use no leverage, while hedge funds and private equity leverage funds at huge ratios and look for short term gains. VC firms should not be regulated in the same way, it will hurt the smaller VC firms which are the most productive. This is a cottage industry.
- We are in a code red situation in Silicon Valley. We have to compete with with world for talent and capital. Right now a lot of our Indian and Chinese engineers are leaving and going back home and capital is following them.
- Silicon Valley is taking its success for granted but our success is the byproduct of an environment that encourages and rewards risk and that's changing. About 17.6 per cent of US GDP comes from public companies that were venture backed.
- I don't want to come across as a crying venture capitalist - all woe is me. The VC industry needs to change, it needs to evolve. Some firms aren't going to make it. Darwin's law is alive and well.
- I still view myself as an entrepreneur and this environment makes it harder to build companies in the US.
- - -
Please see:Here is an interview with Bob Ackerman by Robert Scoble from Fast Company:
http://www.fastcompany.tv/video/mr-no
Bob Ackerman bio:
http://www.allegiscapital.com/team-ackerman.html
Interview with Bob Ackerman at pascalsview:
America Depends on Entrepreneurs While Current Public Policy Assaults Them
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Comments (1)
Completely agree. I've been a marketing puke at a number of chip and software companies and know that if H1B engineers didn't have jobs in the States, I wouldn't either. I can only imagine that killing the golden goose has been elevated to a guiding principle of government policy. Oh, profit has become a dirty word, too.
Meanwhile, as serious, motivated engineers depart, Silicon Valley degenerates into a land of goofy social media start ups. And that will surely power world economic and moral leadership into the 21st century. NOT.
Posted: August 7, 2009 1:24 PM