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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesEduardo Saverin’s argument is not that Silicon Valley has become irrelevant. In a TechCrunch interview published August 25, 2020, the B Capital co-founder urged founders and investors to look beyond the Valley’s dominance in the innovation story, account for regional differences, and consider whether established companies can provide assets a startup needs.
What Saverin meant by “past Silicon Valley”
“We talk a lot about the world of innovation past Silicon Valley,” Saverin told TechCrunch. He immediately qualified the phrase: “But that’s not because you should ignore Silicon Valley.” His objection was to what he called an overemphasis on treating it as “the be-all center of the innovation.”
In other words, his point was about widening the frame, not replacing one unquestioned center with another. Saverin said B Capital thought in “global first” terms, while also stressing that regions have distinct ways of working and doing business. He described his perspective as shaped by Latin America, the United States, and Asia. The interview does not rank those regions or show that one is better for startups; it makes the case for taking local context seriously.
Why regional context matters to founders
A founder deciding where to build or expand should not assume that a model suited to Silicon Valley will transfer unchanged elsewhere. Saverin’s comments point to a more practical question: what conditions, relationships, and capabilities does a company need in the market where it intends to operate?
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- Consider local ways of doing business and the relationships needed to reach customers.
- Assess whether a prospective partner can offer something the startup lacks, such as distribution or regulatory knowledge.
- Judge opportunities on fit rather than on a hub’s reputation alone.
These are implications of Saverin’s stated approach, not a location-by-location comparison. The interview offers no basis for ranking specific countries or innovation hubs.
How partnerships with large companies could help startups
Saverin described B Capital as a “translation engine” and “partnership engine” between startups and established industries. His proposed logic was to pair a young company’s speed with useful assets held by larger companies—potentially distribution, regulatory know-how, capital, brands, or other resources. He called the intended result a “win-win.”
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That proposition is a reason to evaluate a partnership, not a guarantee that it will work. A founder can use the interview’s logic to test a prospective relationship:
- Identify the gap. Specify what the startup needs to grow or operate—such as customer access, capital, or expertise navigating regulation.
- Check the partner’s contribution. Determine whether the company can provide a relevant asset, rather than relying on its size or name as a proxy for value.
- Assess the fit. Consider whether the relationship works within the region’s business practices and the startup’s needs.
Innovation can mean transformation, not just disruption
Saverin also argued for a broader definition of innovation. “We’re trying to make innovation not just about disruption but about positive and neutral transformation,” he said. In this framing, innovation can include improving or changing established industries, not only displacing incumbents or building consumer-internet businesses.
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That distinction matters because it expands the kinds of problems and partnerships founders might consider. A traditional industry can be a setting for innovation as well as a potential source of customers, expertise, or distribution. Saverin’s comments describe this as an investment perspective; they do not establish that every corporate partnership or industry transformation will benefit a startup.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the interview says about B Capital—and what it does not
TechCrunch reported in 2020 that B Capital oversaw more than $1 billion across four offices and two funds, with BCG anchoring both funds. Those are figures reported at the time of the interview, not a current measure of the firm. The interview is best read as a dated account of Saverin’s views and B Capital’s stated approach in 2020, rather than as a current profile of the firm.
Read Connie Loizos’s TechCrunch interview with Eduardo Saverin, published August 25, 2020.
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