It’s trendy to say that Silicon Valley is over—that this place and the philosophy that it became is past its apex, and all signs point to its impending collapse. That prophecy has become even more popular as the COVID-19 pandemic has made both the Valley’s products and its real estate prices seem ever more impractical.

But if those dire predictions come true, it might not be because of inflated valuations. It could be because Silicon Valley has lost its monopoly on its superpower: Innovation.

 In this episode of Skydeck, we’re kicking off a three-part series called “Out of the Valley.” It will focus on the work of Alex Lazarow (MBA 2010), a venture capitalist and author of the book, Out-Innovate: How Global Entrepreneurs from Delhi to Detroit Are Rewriting the Rules of Silicon Valley. Over these next few episodes, we’ll explore the ideas at the heart of Alex’s book, detailing how entrepreneurs and ecosystems across the globe are challenging the Silicon Valley model—and explaining what these global startups can teach their peers in the Valley.

In this first episode, we’re going to examine why Silicon Valley is at risk of losing its startup crown and what that could mean for the future of innovation.