Ecosystem intersections that CFO's will pay for.

What is the ROI

Given the potential benefits of exploring technical and business innovations, companies pay good money to engage in these activities. Below is a sample of different ways interactions can be facilitated.

Company driven

At a company level, many will have a Silicon Valley office. For example, Honda Research Institute has a campus in Mountain View where they active work with other organizations.

Industry driven

In most industry conferences and tradeshows, there will be time dedicated to explore new ideas and technology. For example, RSA, a security conference has a half-day program called Innovation Sandbox to showcase upcoming technologies. Another example is the Demonstration Street area at Printed Electronics USA where novel product ideas are on display for attendees to ponder.

Venture Competitions

Blame it on American Idol, there seems to be a new conference announced every week to let startups compete for a conversation with VC's. Cleantech Open is a good example.

Another twist that combines aspiring startups, funding opportunities, rapid development, and quick financial exit that is gaining a lot of attention lately is Y Combinator with its current focus on "social" related innovations.

Supporting Services

Banks, accounting firms, and law firms are part of the critical infrastrcuture of any economy. In Silicon Valley these firms play an unique role in facilitating cross-industry conversations on topics that are not limited to an industry sector. For example, on a quick check, Orrick, a law firm, is hosting a discussion on the topic of leadership succession planning on February 17, 2011.

Academia

Stanford University is one of the major universities in the area and it has been actively engaging Silicon Valley ecosystems since the early days. Stanford Technology Ventures Program is an example where it allows ideas, experiences, and mentoring to mix.

Another key organization within Stanford that people often don't think about is its Office and Technology Licensing. Did you know that Serge and Larry (Google founders) tried to sell the Google search algorithm through Stanford's OTL and did actually find a buyer?