VOA标准英语2012--California's Silicon Beach Is Growing Hub for Tech Start-Ups

 

California's Silicon¹ Beach Is Growing Hub for Tech Start-Ups

On the west side of Los Angeles, people from around the world come for the beach, year-round sunshine and warm weather. This also is where Gregg Spiridellis and his brother operate the online comedy and e-card company, JibJab.

“We are two blocks from the beach. It’s 72 degrees [i.e., about 22 degrees Celsius] and sunny every single day,” said Spiridellis.

Tech companies crop up

Spiridellis moved his company 10 years ago from New York to the beach in Los Angeles, after the dot.com crash almost wiped out his company. The move gave new life to his business.

“When we first moved out to L.A., there was no technology community. We did not move to Los Angeles for technology in 2002; we moved to artists for creative talent,” he said.

About four years ago, new technology companies started popping up, especially around Los Angeles beach neighborhoods, says University of Southern California engineering professor Ashish Soni.

“Definitely the unemployment and the economy in 2008-2009 did entice² a lot of people to move from the traditional corporate³ path and to try and take a stab at their own venture,” said Soni.

Since then, the number of start-up technology firms in the area has exploded, with a large majority of them based along a five-kilometer stretch between the beach neighborhoods of Santa Monica and Venice - an area some in the industry call “Silicon Beach.”

Large pool talent available

Many people in the local technology community, including Soni, say the beach lifestyle and mild weather are reasons they bypassed the Silicon Valley and choose to work in Silicon Beach.

"It’s definitely becoming part of the everyday vernacular⁴ in the tech community here," said Soni.

But JibJab's Spiridellis said he does not like the name Silicon Beach.

"The only kind of silicon you see here on the beach is typically a part of someone’s body. I don’t really understand the need for a new brand," he said.

Venture capital firm Rustic⁵ Canyon⁶ is based here in Santa Monica. Managing Partner Nate Redmond says the Los Angeles region is unique and should not be likened to Silicon Valley to the north.

"While it’s understandable, I believe ultimately it doesn’t do justice or isn’t really fair to the entrepreneurs who are here building a community and building an ecosystem⁷, which truly is much more native to the region and not an off-shoot from Silicon Valley per se," said Redmond.

Location is key

Entrepreneurs say another reason they prefer Silicon Beach over Silicon Valley is its proximity⁸ to Hollywood. Venice, where most of the special effects for movies are created, also is nearby.

Brett O’Brien is founder⁹ and chief executive officer of the technology company Viddy, which developed an application that helps users capture, enhance and share video.

“So the most talented production effects people in the world, from movie directors to cinematographers -- they're based here in Venice,” said O’Brien.

Viddy has attracted 38 million users in a little more than a year. O'Brien says the celebrities¹⁰ who use Viddy and their fans have fueled the company's success.

“There is certainly a benefit to having the access to influential¹¹ users, famous talented people at every level. And for the types of businesses we create here in southern California, it’s a real competitive advantage,” said O’Brien.

Growing trend gains momentum¹²

Rustic Canyon's Nate Redmond said people from around the world, including Silicon Valley, are coming to Los Angeles to work or start their own technology companies. He said that even venture capital firms in Silicon Valley are starting to take notice.

“The dollars invested in early stage companies within the L.A. region in 2011 last year was higher than any of the prior 10 years,” said Redmond.

Redmond said the most significant shift occurred 18 months ago, and it has accelerated since January. He said e-commerce firms also are drawing from the manufacturing industry in Los Angeles and the two major sea ports in the region. There also are engineers here who are creating online marketing¹³ and data analysis firms.

Analysts¹⁴ say that although Silicon Valley continues to be a leader in high technology, they expect the industry to grow and mature in Los Angeles. 

1 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

2 entice   

v.诱骗，引诱，怂恿

参考例句：

• Nothing will entice the children from television.没有任何东西能把孩子们从电视机前诱开。
• I don't see why the English should want to entice us away from our native land.我不明白，为什英国人要引诱我们离开自己的国土。

3 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

4 vernacular   

adj.地方的，用地方语写成的；n.白话；行话；本国语；动植物的俗名

参考例句：

• The house is built in a vernacular style.这房子按当地的风格建筑。
• The traditional Chinese vernacular architecture is an epitome of Chinese traditional culture.中国传统民居建筑可谓中国传统文化的缩影。

5 rustic   

adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬

参考例句：

• It was nearly seven months of leisurely rustic living before Michael felt real boredom.这种悠闲的乡村生活过了差不多七个月之后,迈克尔开始感到烦闷。
• We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.我们希望新鲜的空气和乡村的氛围能帮他调整自己。

6 canyon   

n.峡谷，溪谷

参考例句：

• The Grand Canyon in the USA is 1900 metres deep.美国的大峡谷1900米深。
• The canyon is famous for producing echoes.这个峡谷以回声而闻名。

7 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

8 proximity   

n.接近，邻近

参考例句：

• Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
• Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。

9 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

10 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

11 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

12 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

13 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

14 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。