Silicon Valley / Bay Area / San Francisco: What’s the Difference!

This Is Silicon Valley, Chapter 1 of 6

What’s the difference between San Francisco, Silicon Valley and the Bay Area? This may seem confusing at first, that’s because it is. But first things first.

This is California.

This is the City and County of San Francisco. Most people just call it “San Francisco” or “The City”.

Many of the famous startups are based here. However San Francisco is not Silicon Valley.

The term Silicon Valley came about after the invention of the silicon semiconductor transistor, a fundamental component of many modern electronic devices. Since its invention in 1947 many silicon chip innovators and manufacturers have been established in the region. The region includes the Santa Clara Valley and the Bay’s Peninsula including its towns of San Jose, Mountain View, Palo Alto and San Mateo among others.

San Francisco is often mistaken for Silicon Valley for its economic interdependence and the fact that most tech startups are in fact based in The City.

Finally, this is the San Francisco Bay Area.

If you’re curious to find out where various startups are located within Silicon Valley, check out this map.

If you have any questions, reach out via Instagram or Twitter.

Have a great day!

David