To build an innovation ecosystem out of nothing, it’s commonly believed there’s an unwritten recipe which goes something like this: first take a large university engineering department, mix in 1 part venture capital and 1 part government funding, stir, and shape into an incubator. Layer a handful of startups on top, and bake for 3 months, liberally applying media coverage at regular intervals. At the end of 3 months, remove from incubator, and repeat with a new batch. After a year, a brand new Silicon Valley is ready.
