An interesting read, but I disagree with his take.
First of all the idea that tech startups should be started by tech people goes back a lot farther than Silicon Valley. For example take a look at the history of the early automobile industry in Detroit. The founders of the early car companies were for the most part people like Henry Ford - engineers, mechanics, and other people who knew the technology rather than management types. Silicon Valley fits the mold of previous startup hubs.
The more major mistake is that Genetech's IPO in 1980 is cited for getting researchers involved in commercialization. However most observers cite the Bayh-Dole act in the same year as being the critical factor. It gave organizations such as universities the right to intellectual property (such as patents) arising out of research funded by the US government. This created a tremendous number of opportunities for commercializing research that simply had not existed previously.
First of all the idea that tech startups should be started by tech people goes back a lot farther than Silicon Valley. For example take a look at the history of the early automobile industry in Detroit. The founders of the early car companies were for the most part people like Henry Ford - engineers, mechanics, and other people who knew the technology rather than management types. Silicon Valley fits the mold of previous startup hubs.
The more major mistake is that Genetech's IPO in 1980 is cited for getting researchers involved in commercialization. However most observers cite the Bayh-Dole act in the same year as being the critical factor. It gave organizations such as universities the right to intellectual property (such as patents) arising out of research funded by the US government. This created a tremendous number of opportunities for commercializing research that simply had not existed previously.