Silicon Valley

Father Junipero Serra founded Mission Santa Clara in the Santa Clara Valley, which later became known as Silicon Valley. The area around the mission grew to be known for its beauty and agricultural abundance.

In 1847, California became part of the United States, leading to significant changes in the region's development and history.

Leland Stanford, along with his wife Jane, founded Stanford University in Santa Clara Valley as a memorial to their son. The university played a crucial role in the development of Silicon Valley.

In 1909, San José became home to one of the United States' first radio stations, contributing to the growth of the radio industry in the region.

At the 1915 World's Fair in San Francisco, Lee DeForest's vacuum tube amplifier was used to make the first intercontinental phone call, marking a significant advancement in communication technology.

The Revenue Act of 1921 in the United States charged much lower taxes on capital gains, making the country more friendly to business investment and contributing to the development of Silicon Valley.

In 1925, Frederick Terman starts teaching electronics electrical engineering at Stanford University and encourages his students to establish businesses in California.

In 1933, the Navy purchased Moffett Field to dock and maintain the USS Macon, transforming the area into a major hub for the aerospace industry's early days.

In 1939, the Ames Research Center was founded in the area, eventually becoming home to the world's largest wind tunnel in 1949, attracting numerous scientists and researchers.

Fred Terman establishes Stanford Research Park in partnership with Stanford University and the City of Palo Alto. It serves as a hub for military and commercial technological innovations for companies like Hewlett Packard, Lockheed, and Xerox.

The Small Business Administration was created in 1953 to foster startups, providing a boost to entrepreneurs and contributing to the growth of Silicon Valley.

In 1954, Hewlett-Packard, founded by Stanford graduates Bill Hewlett and David Packard in 1939, moved its offices to the Stanford Research Park. This move marked a significant development in the growth of the technology industry in the area.

After signing an agreement with businessman and investor Sherman Fairchild, the eight established Fairchild Semiconductor, creating a business that lay the groundwork for Silicon Valley’s dominance in the technology sector and a blueprint for an environment of innovation and disruption.

Jack Kilby at Texas Instruments invents the integrated circuit, a small silicon device with numerous electronic switches.

Jean Hoerni at Fairchild Semiconductor invents the planar process allowing precision in silicon components. Robert Noyce at Fairchild Semiconductor designs a planar integrated circuit.

Former Sylviania employee Bill Perry establishes the computer-based electronic-intelligence company ESL.

Gordon Moore predicts that the processing power of computers will double every 18 months, a concept known as Moore's Law.

Employees leaving Fairchild Semiconductor led to the launch of Intel, one of the most notable spin-off businesses. This event marked a significant development in the technology sector.

In 1970, Xerox opened its PARC lab in Palo Alto, where early computing technologies like ethernet and the graphical user interface were invented.

Don Hoefler popularized the term 'Silicon Valley' in his article 'Silicon Valley U.S.A.' published in the January 11, 1971, issue of Electronic News. The term gained widespread use in the early 1980s with the rise of the tech industry.

Eugene Kleiner left Fairchild Semiconductors to establish Kleiner Perkins, a prominent venture capital firm located at the exit of Sand Hill Road, between San Jose and San Francisco.

Apple Computers went public with its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on December 12, 1980, creating around 300 instant millionaires among its employees, setting a record in corporate history.

In 1994, the Band of Angels is founded by angel investors to provide funding for startups in Silicon Valley, contributing to the growth of the tech industry.

The book 'Crystal Fire: The Birth of the Information Age' by Riordan and Hoddeson was published in 1997, discussing the origins of the information age.

Between 1998 and 1999, venture capital investments in Silicon Valley companies skyrocket by over 90%, reaching $6.1 billion from $3.2 billion.

Since the early 2000s, software engineering has consistently been one of the most sought-after jobs in Silicon Valley, known for its competitive job market and emphasis on employee perks.

In November 2006, a report by the University of California, Davis highlighted the lack of women CEOs in Silicon Valley, with only 8.8% of companies having women in leadership positions. This gender disparity extends to tech leadership roles and venture capital funding for women-led startups.

The introduction of the iPhone in 2007 by Apple, led by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, marked a significant milestone in the history of technology, expanding from PCs to mobile devices like the iPod, iPad, and iPhone.

In 2008, venture capitalists invested $4 billion into green-tech startups in Silicon Valley, which accounted for almost 40% of all U.S. investments in high-tech.

Founded in 2011, Zoom Video Communications is a notable company that later became a Silicon Valley unicorn.

In 2013, 92% of smartphones worldwide were using operating systems developed in Silicon Valley, with Android leading at 75%, followed by iOS at 17%.

In May 2014, tech giants like Google disclosed detailed employee breakdowns in their corporate transparency reports, revealing statistics on gender and racial diversity within their workforce.

In June 2014, Yahoo! and Facebook also published reports on diversity within their tech workforce, providing insights into the representation of women and minority groups.

In August 2014, Apple revealed data on the gender and racial composition of its global tech staff, highlighting the underrepresentation of certain demographics in the industry.

In October 2014, high-profile Silicon Valley firms such as Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft were actively participating in events like the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing to recruit female engineers and technology experts.

On March 27, 2015, the jury found in favor of Kleiner Perkins in the gender discrimination case filed by Ellen Pao, marking a significant moment in addressing gender discrimination in venture capital and technology firms.

In 2016, Silicon Valley was known for its extremely high home prices, with a two-bedroom apartment renting for about $2,500 and the median home price reaching about $1 million.

On June 2, 2016, CHM's Exponential Center celebrated its launch with a gathering of founders and builders of the Digital Age. Honorees included Gordon Moore, Jay Last, and Arthur Rock, pivotal figures in the history of Silicon Valley.

On January 17, 2018, a premiere and panel discussion took place for the documentary 'Silicon Valley: The Untold Story' featuring legendary figures from the Silicon Valley.

As of the beginning of December 2020, there were 117 venture capital-backed initial public offerings (IPOs) in Silicon Valley valued at approximately $253 billion.

Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel and semiconductor pioneer, passed away at the age of 94. He played a key role in the development of semiconductor technology and the establishment of Silicon Valley as a hub for innovation.