From the Brain Gain Network site, Paco Sandejas writes:
On December 1, 2005 at 6:00 p.m. participants in the high-tech industry of the Philippines will gather at the site of the Advanced Research and Competency Development Institute (ARCDI) in Alabang to launch two very interesting projects (disclaimer: my firm, Narra Venture Capital, is one of the co-sponsors of these efforts). Being launched are the NEW IMPROVED Brain Gain Network web tool and the ARCDI Alpha Ventures Lab.
“Techiepalooza” launch event and signup is here.
What is the Brain Gain Network?
BGN is an online networking and productivity tool that connects talented professionals and students interested in helping to increase the global competitiveness of the Philippine high-technology economy. It is not another association. It is simply a tool.
While always promoting entrepreneurial initiative and a can-do-attitude, BGN seeks to convert the “brain drain” into a “œBrain Gain” through the following activities: building an extensive membership database of highly-skilled, experienced and motivated individuals; facilitating communication and cooperation among them; and providing the necessary online (and occasionally off-line) productivity tools in order for them to make projects become a reality. For example, the projects might be NGO consultancies for tech transfer to Philippine companies, consultations between government and private sector leaders, university consortia for the advancement of engineering education, or the actual formation of start-up ventures in need of venture capital funding.
This is related to Where is the Philippines’ Silicon Valley. Another blog entry about Silicon Valley asks if the original Silicon Valley will retain the factors it has in growing tech industry, or is it moving outside. Some key points:
the Valley had lost its technology focus to get into marketing or retail opportunities, and lost its focus on creating great technology and rewarding the engineers responsible for these innovations.
Where are the engineers going?
the major differentiator of the Valley was the culture of risk: this tendency of people to quit their job and start new companies. However the Valley is so expensive that it has priced itself out as many people can no longer afford living here. … companies will only afford to have their headquarters here and will have engineering and operations in other parts of the country/world.
Can this environment eventually move to the Philippines?