Ed Penhoet, President, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; founder and former CEO, Chiron Corporation
Monday, January 14, 2008
What makes California the start-up state: The people who chose California brought an entrepreneurial spirit that has become part of the state’s culture.Silicon Valley sprang up because California has adventurous people (note the connection between “venture capital” and “adventure”) and great universities. Part of this entrepreneurial culture is the willingness to fail; it’s a badge of experience. If you haven’t failed at least once, you haven’t tried hard enough.
What I love about California’s museum: My mother was a musician and my father painted watercolors in his spare time, so, although I’m a scientist, an appreciation for art runs in the family. I love the museum’s art collections, and I love its architecture—itself a work of art.