In Part Two of our interview with Mayor Chuck Reed, the Green Mayor discusses how the city is changing its rules and practices to move “at the speed of business” to attract clean tech companies like Tesla Motors to Silicon Valley. The interview includes:
Why the Mayor’s Green Vision had to be bold and aggressive
Which green achievement makes him most proud
Why Mayor Reed thanks Governor Schwarzenegger for his part in Tesla’s decision to relocate to San Jose
The phone call to Tesla’s CEO and how it got San Jose on the company’s shortlist
What rule changes the City of San Jose put in place to accommodate clean tech business
What entrepreneurial practices does the city use that are models for the rest of the world?
How did the city reduce one approval process from 3-6 months to one HOUR?
The interview took place in November 2008 at San Jose City Hall.
To check out part one of the interview with Mayor Chuck Reed, on his humble beginnings, his inspiration for the Green Vision and his views on Obama’s presidency, click here
I met with Growth Point Technology Partners Managing Director, Laurie Yoler just 12 days after the historic bailout of the US financial system was signed into law. She’s a seasoned investor in emerging technology, a specialist in clean tech and serves on the board of Tesla Motors, where she was an angel investor. Laurie gives a fascinating insight into the psyche of venture capitalists at this historic time and explains why she remains optimistic. We also explore these questions:
How long will it take before the market stabilizes?
How will the IPO, Merger & Aquisition and private placement markets be affected by the financial turmoil? What about those frothy valuations?
What clean tech trends have emerged this year?
What’s hot in clean tech and why is clean tech in Europe ahead of the US?
The phone call to Tesla’s CEO and how it got San Jose on the company’s shortlist
How did the city reduce one approval process from 3-6 months to one HOUR?
