The Silicon Valley Networks Analysis Project at Stanford University is dedicated to researching the social networks among firms in Silicon Valley. Chaired by Professor Mark Granovetter of the Department of Sociology, the project currently administers a number of studies primarily related to the social network dynamics of venture capital firms.

Though everyone agrees that the most crucial aspect of Silicon Valley's dramatic success is its networks, there has been virtually no systematic study of their history, structure and functioning. This project attempts to map these networks and their evolution over time. Using relational database methods developed in the study of the electricity industry, the plan is to track the affiliation of company principals, trace the "genealogies" of new firms, and show how movements of people among firms continuously shapes and reshapes networks of both individuals and organizations. The research group also intends to study the institutional complex that supports local industrial activity, including financial, educational, legal, and political sectors. The end result should be the first comprehensive sociological account of an "industrial district".

The project team is comprised of a collection of doctoral candidates and interested undergraduates. If you would like more information on how to get involved with the project, please visit the contact page for more information.