
Startup ecosystems can be fragmented, competitive, and hidden to newcomers, which is detrimental for local startups and community growth. The Startup Ecosystem Canvas seeks to provide local entrepreneurs with a clear list of resources for every stage of their startup journey - from ideation to scaling - and outline a basic framework for communities to map their ecosystem.
With applications open for the Silicon Valley Founder Institute, we are excited to release the updated Silicon Valley Startup Ecosystem Canvas, which is currently in v3 below! It was developed Silicon Valley Founder Institute directors Ryan Micheletti, Mike Suprovici, and Scout Tweedie-Yates.
You can also comment on the open Google doc of this list at http://bit.ly/silicon_valley_canvas.
If you are looking to build a startup in Silicon Valley alongside the region's top entrepreneurs and investors, then apply to the Silicon Valley Founder Institute today, or join a free event.
The resources from the infographic have also been listed below, for reference.
Startup Stages
There is no one right way to build a technology company, but for the sake of simplicity we have outlined a basic, common, sequential framework.
Idea Stage
This is where new entrepreneurs get inspired, learn best practices, develop skills, validate ideas, and begin to build their team and product.
- Inspire
- Startup Media: Centralized local information, listings, and news. (i.e. startup blogs/ publications/ lists/ FB groups/ newsletters)
- Chris Saad
- LegalForce
- Silicon Beat
- Silicon Tap
- Silicon Valley
- Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs & Startups
- Silicon Valley News
- Silicon Valley Startups & Angel Funding
- Silicon Valley Watcher
- Startup Digest Silicon Valley - SF Bay Area
- Startup Lessons Learned
- Steve Blank
- Tech Central SF
- Tech.Co SF
- This Week in Startups
- Inspirational Events: Open, inclusive, beginner startup events (i.e. Startup Weekend, idea fairs, and inspirational meetups)
- Educate
- Best Practices: Beginner knowledge-sharing events. (i.e. beginner events that serve to educate more than inspire, like Startup Founder 101, etc).
- Lean Startup Circle Silicon Valley
- Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs Toastmasters Club
- Silicon Valley Startup Idea to IPO
- Startup Founder 101 Silicon Valley
- Startup Grind Silicon Valley
- Startup Leadership
- Startup School
- Startup Speakers Toastmasters
- TDWI Silicon Valley Chapter
- Tech in Motion Silicon Valley
- YouNoodle
- Training & Feedback: Skill & Idea development. (Ex. bootcamps and comprehensive training programs, like Founder Institute)
- Anyone Can Learn to Code
- App Academy
- Apprentice.io
- Big Nerd Ranch
- Blackbox Connect
- CodePath
- Coder Camps
- Codify Academy
- Coding Dojo
- Coding House
- Data Science Dojo
- Dev Bootcamp
- Draper University of Heroes
- Founder Institute
- Galvanize
- General Assembly
- Go Live Labs
- Hackbright Academy
- Hackership
- Hack Reactor
- Insight
- Invasive Code
- Koru
- Lean Startup Machine Silicon Valley
- Learntech Labs
- Local Food Lab
- MakerSquare
- Make School
- Mobile Makers Academy
- Praxis Data Science
- Product School
- Silicon Valley Innovation Center
- Silicon Valley Innovation Institute
- Silicon Valley Technology Venture Launch Program
- Square Code Camp
- Startup Pitch Bootcamp
- Startup Saturdays
- SV In.Fusion
- Thinkful
- Tradecraft
- Trepcamp
- Zipfian Academy
- Validate
- Team Formation: Resources for teaming up. (i.e. events or other resources that facilitate early-stage recruitment and cofounder matching)
- Build First Product: Hackathons & resources to build. (i.e. hackathons and other builder-focused events and resources)
- AngelHack Silicon Valley
- ChimeHack
- CodeDay Silicon Valley
- CODEX Hackathon
- FLIR's "Bring the Heat" Hacker & Maker Challenge: San Francisco
- Greylock Hackfest
- Hack My Ride 2.0
- Hack The People
- Hacker Dojo
- Hacking 4 Health
- Hacking EDU
- Hacking Generation Y
- iOS Dev Camp 2015: Wearables, Security, CONNECTEDCAR and Civic Engagement
- Integrate 2015 Hackathon
- Lincoln Labs Reboot 2015 Hackathon
- Outside Hacks
- RandTech Hackathon
- Silicon Valley Hackathons
- Sunnyvale Hacker Home - Mobile App Hackathon
- WWCode Silicon Valley Hackathon
- Women in STEM Hackathon Apps for Social Impact
- Yeti
Launch Stage
In this stage, entrepreneurs establish and formalize the company, develop the product, get feedback from customers, and prepare for the next step.
- Start
- Establish: Law firms & banks for startups
- Bank of America
- Bank Leumi USA
- Bend Law Group
- Bottom Line Law Group
- Chase Bank
- Chris Barsness, Esq.
- Comerica Bank
- ComputerLaw Group LLP
- Criterion Law
- DLA Piper
- Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
- Dorsey & Whitney LLP
- Fenwick & West LLP
- First Republic Bank
- Goodwin Procter LLP
- Grellas Shah LLP
- Gunderson Dettmer
- Innovation Capital Law Group
- Kastner Kim LLP
- Latham & Watkins LLP
- Morrison & Foerster LLP
- Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
- Perkins Coie
- Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
- Royse Law Firm
- Silicon Valley Bank
- Springmeyer Law
- Square 1 Bank
- Structure Law Group LLP
- US Bank
- Walker Corporate Law
- Wells Fargo Bank
- White Summers Caffee & James
- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
- Yoichiro Taku
- Workspace: Co-working and flexible workspaces (note: “official” office space goes in 3.1.a. Infrastructure)
- 20Mission
- Anchor
- BioCurious
- BootUp World
- Citizen Space
- Co Spot
- Connections SF
- Design Spaces
- Enerspace
- Firehouse 8
- First Floor Labs
- Founders Den
- Galvanize
- GSV Labs
- Geekdom SF
- Hacker Dojo
- Hatch Today
- Hero City
- Impact Hub San Francisco
- Invention Hub
- Makeshift Society
- Mission Social
- NextSpace
- Noisebridge
- The Office of Silicon Valley
- The Pad Silicon Valley
- PariSOMA
- Plug and Play Tech Center
- Reactor SF
- RocketSpace
- Runway Incubator
- RockIT CoLabs
- Sandbox Suites
- Scaale Bay Area
- Shared
- SpherePad
- Startup BaseCamp
- Startup Embassy
- Startup HQ
- Startup House
- Taqueria Trabajo
- TechSpace
- Third Workplace
- WeWork
- Work Happy
- Develop
- Formalize: Accounting, development and HR for early-stage startups.
- 55 Minutes
- Andersen Tax
- Appstem
- ArcTouch
- Arkenea
- Blue Rocket
- The Brenner Group
- Dayspring Technologies
- Early Growth Financial Services
- EdgeWater Recruiting
- Execustaff HR
- Exygy
- Futurist Labs
- Grio
- July Systems
- Keating Consulting Group
- Kranz & Associate
- Main
- Moss Adams LLP
- OUM & Co. LLP
- Prolific Interactive
- Quick Left
- Riviera Partners
- SVT Group
- Silicon Valley Accounting Solutions
- Silicon Valley Finance Group
- Silicon Valley Tax and Accounting Services
- The Spider
- SpiralScout
- Tano Digital
- ThinkApps
- UpTrending
- VonChurch
- WeMo Technologies
- WorldZOO
- Y Media Labs
- Prepare for Seed: Incubators and advanced mentorship. (i.e. advanced knowledge sharing, later stage events and resources for startup TEAMS)
- Launch
- Seed Accelerators: Seed funding mentor programs (Techstars-style programs that provide funding)
- 500 Startups
- Alchemist Accelerator
- AngelPad
- BlackBox Accelerate
- Boost
- Citrix Startup Accelerator
- Dogpatch Labs
- Gateway Incubator
- German Accelerator
- i/o Ventures
- Imagine K12
- Manos Accelerator
- Matter
- Momentum
- One Traction Accelerator
- Orange Fab
- PITME Labs
- Plug and Play Tech Center
- Rock Health
- SVB Accelerator
- Semantic Seed
- StartX
- Tandem
- TiE Launchpad
- UpWest Labs
- Women's Startup Lab
- Pitch & Demo: Show local startups for investment (i.e. demo days for companies seeking seed investment)
- Creative Convergence Silicon Valley
- DEMO Traction
- Disrupt SF
- Finovate
- Founder Showcase
- Incubate 2015
- Launch Festival
- PitchForce
- Silicon Valley Elevator Pitch
- Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs San Francisco Pitch Fest
- Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs South Bay Pitch and Demo Fest
- Startup Basecamp International Pitch Night
- Startup Pitch Night SF
- Startup Pitch Night Silicon Valley
- Startups Showcase Pitch & DEMO Expo and Business Mixer
Growth Stage
Here, a startup proves their utility, receives recognition, and scales up. This usually requires funding, angels, VCs, and ways to connect them to startups.
- Recognition
- Investor Networking: Connect professional investors with founders. (i.e. events or groups that facilitate connections with professional investors)
- Angel's Forum
- Astia Angels
- Band of Angels
- F50
- Golden Seeds Angel Investor Network
- Joint Venture Silicon Valley
- Keiretsu Forum
- Life Science Angels
- Open Silicon Valley Forum
- SF Angels Group
- Sand Hill Angels
- Seed Forum
- Silicon Valley Forum
- Silicon Valley Investment Forum
- Silicon Valley Open Doors
- Silicon Valley Technology Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum
- Startup Teahouse Investor Forum
- TiE Angels Silicon Valley
- US Angel Investors
- Major Media: Mainstream local business press. (i.e. major local or regional publications that frequently champion local businesses)
- Funding
- Angels / Micro-VCs: Seed-stage investors
- Adeo Ressi
- Alexis Ohanian
- Andrea Zurek
- Aydin Senkut
- Benjamin Ling
- Biz Stone
- Bobby Yazdani
- Chris Sacca
- Christine Tsai
- Cyan Banister
- Dave McClure
- Dave Morin
- David Cohen
- Eric Reis
- Evan Williams
- Felix Shpilman
- Garry Tan
- Gil Penchina
- Jason Calacanis
- Jeff Clavier
- Joel Yarmon
- Josh Kopelman
- Joshua Schachter
- Keith Rabois
- Kevin Colleran
- Kevin Rose
- Marc Andreessen
- Marissa Mayer
- Matt Ocko
- Max Levchin
- Mitch Kapor
- Morris Wheeler
- Naval Ravikant
- Paige Craig
- Parker Thompson
- Paul Buchheit
- Paul Singh
- Pejman Nozad
- Peter Kellner
- Reid Hoffman
- Scott and Cyan Banister
- Sean Percival
- Shervin Pishevar
- Thomas Korte
- Tim Draper
- Tim Ferriss
- Tim O'Reilly
- Tom Fallows
- Ullas Naik
- Zachary Aarons
- Venture Capitalists: Series A and beyond
- Accel Partners
- Andreessen Horowitz
- August Capital
- Benchmark Capital
- Bessemer Venture Partners
- Canaan Partners
- DFJ Venture
- Emergence Capital
- First Round Capital
- Founders Fund
- General Catalyst Partners
- Google Ventures
- Greylock Partners
- Highland Capital Partners
- Innovation Endeavors
- Khosla Ventures
- Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers
- Learn Capital
- Lightspeed Venture Partners
- Matrix Partners
- Menlo Ventures
- New Enterprise Associates
- Norwest Venture Partners
- Owl Ventures
- Reach Capital
- RRE Ventures
- Sequoia Capital
- Social Capital
- Spark Capital
- Transmedia Capital
- True Ventures
- Venrock
- Growth
- Infrastructure: Office space, HR, local business insurance. (i.e. office space/ HR/ insurance providers for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
- 42 Floors
- Algentis
- Avery Associates
- Borelli Investment Company
- Escalon Services
- Heffernan Insurance Brokers
- Insurance by Allied Brokers
- Integra Insurance
- LoopNet
- MassMutual Silicon Valley
- MelitaGroup
- Pacific Workplaces
- Regus
- Rofo
- Silicon Valley Office Space
- Sweet & Baker Insurance Brokers
- Taylor Benefits Insurance Agency
- Zenefits
- Expansion: Growth accelerators/consultants. (i.e. programs and business consultants for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
4. Success Stories
Successful homegrown companies that have raised significant institutional funding, employ a large workforce, or have achieved liquidity.
- Too many to name.. :)
Supporters
To facilitate the steps, every ecosystem needs strong supporters.
1. Evangelists
Successful local founders who lead the ecosystem & frequently mentor newbies.
- Adeo Ressi
- Ahmad Sufian Bayram
- André Eidskrem
- Andrea Barrica
- Andy Alterini
- Angelika Blendstrup
- Ankit Jain
- Beth Kindig
- Bipin Agravat
- Christina Ellwood
- Dario Mutabdzija
- Elyse Phillips
- Ezequiel Trivino
- Guy Kawasaki
- Jordan Koene
- Kevin Morgan
- Lina Constantinovici
- Malcolm Ong
- Mario Valle Reyes
- Marwan Forzley
- Matt Gardner
- Mike Suprovici
- Mitchell Levy
- Nima Adelkhani
- Roy Sehgal
- Russel Clímaco-Estardo
- Ryan Micheletti
- Saumitra Bhide
- Scout Tweedie-Yates
- Shahid Khan
- Sharon Goldstein
- Shira Abel
- Sven Deichfuss
- Toby Morning
- Vitaly Golomb
- Yossi Ghinsberg
2. Government
Public organizations that facilitate local economic development
- California Israel Chamber of Commerce
- Chamber of Commerce Mountain View
- Cupertino Chamber of Commerce
- Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Silicon Valley
- Innovation Hub
- Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce
- Rainbow Chamber of Commerce
- SRI International
- San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
- San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber
- Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce
- Security Innovation Network
- Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
- Silicon Valley Competitiveness and Innovation Project
- Silicon Valley Talent Partnership
3. Talent
Major local business or tech universities and employers that attract and retain local talent.
- Local Universities (universities with prominent technical or business programs)
- Academy of Art University
- Art Institute of California San Francisco
- Art Institute of California Silicon Valley
- Carnegie Mellon University Silicon Valley Campus
- City College San Francisco
- De Anza College
- Herguan University
- Hult International Business School
- International Technological University
- Menlo College
- Mission College
- Palo Alto University
- San Francisco State University
- San Jose City College
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Silicon Valley Polytechnic Institute
- Silicon Valley University
- Stanford University
- University of California San Francisco
- University of San Francisco
- Local Employers (Major technical employers, like Microsoft or Google or large local companies, with large local offices)
Learn more about the Startup Ecosystem Canvas at FI.co/canvas, and leave us your thoughts on the Silicon Valley Canvas on the open Google doc at http://bit.ly/silicon_valley_canvas.
If you are looking to build a startup in Silicon Valley and could use expert training and feedback, then apply to the Silicon Valley Founder Institute today, or join a free event.