In this issue:

• “Your Business Concierge” – Updated Site Provides Resources for Business
• Anu Natarajan Tapped for “Realizing the California Dream” Project
• Transportation Experts Heminger, Diridon on Joint Venture KLIV Show
• “Fat Pipes & Convergence in a 4G Era” – Santa Clara Panel Nov. 5
• Polls Show Strong Support for Constitutional Convention
• Save the Date of the State of the Valley – February 12, 2010
• Article of the Month: “Environmental Innovation Will Create Jobs” – Wendy and Eric Schmidt
• Joint Venture Spotlight – Dave Knapp, Cupertino City Manager and Joint Venture Board
• Stanford Grad is First Joint Venture Benest Fellow

“Your Business Concierge” – Updated Site Provides Resources for Business

Joint Venture has just taken the wraps off a redesigned web site which provides assistance to companies locating or expanding in Silicon Valley.

The site is the work of 20 cities and counties—known collectively as the Silicon Valley Economic Development Alliance—who are working together to fast-track the needs of business.

The new site features a wealth of information and resources on commercial property, licensing and permits, government incentives, incubators, and sources of venture funding and financing.

Click here to explore Silicon Valley Online and here to learn more about the Silicon Valley Economic Development Alliance.

Anu Natarajan Tapped for “Realizing the California Dream” Project

Anu Natarajan has been appointed director of the “Realizing the California Dream” project, a joint initiative of the American Leadership Forum and Joint Venture. Natarajan’s objective is for California to adopt governance and fiscal reforms that are supported by research and a broad cross-section of Silicon Valley residents. A Fremont City Council member since 2004, Natarajan has worked on a variety of public projects in Silicon Valley.

Click here to read the complete news release.

Transportation Leaders Heminger, Diridon on KLIV Oct. 30

Joint Venture’s KLIV radio series on timely Silicon Valley issues continued in October with two programs.

The latest show features Steve Heminger, executive director of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and Rod Diridon, Sr., executive director of the Mineta Transportation Institute and a member and former chair of the California High Speed Rail Authority.

The program airs tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 30, on 1590 KLIV at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. It will be available for download on the Joint Venture site.

The October 9 broadcast on the future of the electric vehicle industry, featuring Sven Thesen of Better Place and Bob Garzee of the Electronic Transportation Development Center, is now available as a downloadable podcast. Listen to it and other previous programs here.

“Fat Pipes & Convergence in a 4G Era” – WiMax Panel on Nov. 5

Joint Venture is joining with the leading wireless and mobile communications organizations to present a panel discussion next month on the local WiMax test network, the infrastructure needed to run it, and what 4G means for convergence. Titled “Fat Pipes & Convergence in a 4G Era,” panelists include Joint Venture’s Ashwini Gillen and others from Sprint and Comcast. Industry professionals from software, gaming, cable, wireless and wireline are expected to attend.

The event, including a cocktail reception, takes place at the Decathlon Club in Santa Clara on Thursday, November 5 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Click here to register.

Polls Show Strong support for a Constitutional Convention

Californians in two recent polls have expressed solid support for a Constitutional Convention to reform state government, a movement promoted by Joint Venture in association with the Bay Area Council. Two-thirds of the respondents to a Repair California poll said they would vote yes on two proposed measures enabling the convention, while 43 percent of readers in a Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal poll backed a Constitutional Convention as the best way to fix the state’s recurring government problems.

For more information about the Constitutional Convention effort, visit www.RepairCalifornia.org.

Joint Venture Spotlight

Meet Dave Knapp

Cupertino City Manager, Joint Venture Board Member

Dave Knapp’s life and career has been varied and rewarding – personally, professionally and geographically. His underlying value system and spirituality are what kept him grounded along the way and helped him make the right decisions when he came to each new fork in the road.

Valley Vision talked with the popular Cupertino city manager about his passion for public service, community building, skiing, family and grandchildren.

Click here to read Dave Knapp’s profile.

In a recent column in the Mercury News, Wendy and Eric Schmidt show how Assembly Bill 32 will lead to more California jobs and energy innovation.

Stanford Grad Eva Jellison is First Benest Fellow

Eva Jellison, a 2009 Stanford University graduate in public policy and economics, has become Joint Venture’s first Benest Fellow, a program which honors the legacy of former Palo Alto City Manager Frank Benest. A long-serving Joint Venture board member, Benest continues to champion the cause of regionalism, and of collaborative approaches to economic development.

At Joint Venture, Jellison will work on social media projects and collaborate with senior staff on research and other projects.

Click here to learn more about the Joint Venture Fellows program.

Save the Date!
State of the Valley – Feb. 12, 2010

The State of the Valley Conference, Joint Venture’s annual “Town Hall” meeting, is set for Friday, February 12, at the McEnery San Jose Convention Center. Mark your calendars now for what the Mercury calls “Silicon Valley’s premiere networking event.”