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A week after the trip, and with the last effects of the jet lag fading away, it is time to review my trip to Silicon Valley.
First of all I want to thank Fundación Banesto and ICEX, for funding and making this experience possible. And also the team of StepOne Ventures and Barrabes for they incredible support and advices. They really helped us to organise very interesting and successful meetings with venture capital, technical partners, customers, industry experts and competitors.
1. Technology level & entrepreneurship ecosystem
My general impression is that spanish, or european web technology has nothing to envy from what our fellow american friends are doing on the other side of the Atlantic. Our ideas, and what is more important, our execution of those ideas, is at least, as professional and advanced as the sound practices I was shown during my trip.
But, and there always is a but, what we do have to envy is the incredible, superb ecosystem of entrepreneurs, funding sources, tech companies, legal & financing support, etc, etc, that has settled in the Valley for more than 50 years.
All these extensive networking, comprehensive understanding of the importance of taking risks in technology, optimism and energy is something we lack off in the old Europe. And I was really amazed to experience it first hand during my meetings with so many and different agents. All were eager to share they thoughts, ideas and mainly help us to go on with our expansion in the US market and globally.
A great spanish entrepreneur (@xaviverdaguer) hold a very interesting speech, trying to guide us through the myths, truths and lies in Silicon Valley, and he concluded telling us, that WE NEED TO BE THERE, if we want our projects to evolve enormously.
2. Google vs Yahoo
It was funny being able to visit Google and Yahoo during the same day. Thus we could experience the dramatic differences in the mood and energy of each company nowadays. In Google it was all about frantic movement, dynamism, people from all continents running around, coding, chatting, eating (none playing table tennis, I am afraid). While in Yahoo everything was quiet, smooth, comfortable with no much visible tension. I believe that may be the difference between a company the rules the world and the dying elephant 
. No offense meant!.
google vs yahoo
3. IMASTE in USA
We were able to make very interesting contacts with some relevant agents in the events industry and the career fair market. Stay tuned during the next weeks to learn about some interesting announcements regarding our expansion in the US market, and some tech strategic partnerships.
But it is also true that our natural playground is Europe, and we will focus our business expansion in the main european countries in 2010.
We expect a growth of over 500 % in the european virtual trade show market, and we will work hard to maintain our leadership in Europe. Our brand new hired Country manager assistants will help us greatly to increase our activity and expand the virtual fairs industry in UK, France, Germany and Italy.
4. Online interview
During the trip, I was able to put faces and meet many interesting persons in the Valley, and I would like to thank them all for sharing their thoughts and time with me. Dennis Shiao, virtual events specialist and great blogger , recorded an interview with myself, where I try to explain our plans for 2010 and our experience during 2009.
Interview with Miguel Arias – Co-founder of IMASTE – Virtual events leader in Europe
That was all for now, we will have some exciting trips in the beginning of 2010 and we will keep you posted. We can already announce you the presence of IMASTE in CEBIT in march 2010, where Spain will be the Partner Country and we will have a really cool stand in the WebCiety pavilion.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Silicon Valley PIPE