Why Regions Should Stop Trying to Build the Next Silicon Valley

At Web Summit 2025 in Portugal, Chris Lennon, Empowered’s President & General Counsel, explains why copying Silicon Valley’s model is the wrong approach for innovation policy. Working closely with regions and governments, the focus should be on understanding what local citizens want, what kind of talent you’re trying to attract, and how to build innovation ecosystems that reflect local realities.

Trying to replicate what worked over the last 20 years is likely to fail.