Silicon Valley's 'most provocative voice' - Former RTP exec Vivek Wadhwa
Note: The Skinny blog is written by Rick Smith, editor and co-founder of WRAL Tech Wire and business editor of WRAL.com.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - Vivek Wadhwa, a former RTP tech executive and now a globe-trotting consultant, writer and academic, has been called many things in his life - but "boring" isn't on the list.
From his fights with venture capitalists over control of Triangle-based Relativity (now part of IBM) to his current status as international agent provocateur about engineers, entrepreneurship and immigration, Wadhwa has in recent years never been reluctant to speak out no matter how controversial an issue.
After joining Duke University as an entrepreneur in residence focused on engineering education issues (such as whether the U.S. graduates enough) and immigration for foreign-born tech executives and students, Wadhwa began writing columns for TechCrunch, BusinessWeek and elsewhere. Soon, other universities beckoned him to join their faculties as an advisor, teacher and researcher. Now his audacity to say what others are afraid to even believe (such as alleged racism in venture capital) has made Wadhwa an international media darling.
Thus the glowing profile of Wadhwa that appeared in The San Jose Mercury News over the weekend.
"Vivek Wadhwa emerges as Silicon Valley's most provocative voice," wrote columnist Chris O'Brien.
"If there is some kind of digital dogfight in Silicon Valley, chances are that Vivek Wadhwa is smack in the middle of it," O'Brien said.
"Name a controversial subject: immigration, investment bubbles, age discrimination, women and minorities in tech, Google's search results. Wadhwa, the most provocative voice in Silicon Valley, has likely staked out a controversial position that has everyone in Silicon Valley taking sides. And his penchant for straight talk and challenging the conventional wisdom about the valley being a meritocracy has catapulted him to national prominence online and on the airwaves.
"Maybe you love him, maybe you hate him. But you can't ignore him."
The story led Wadhwa to write colleagues: "I am rarely out of words. You'll understand after you read this. Thanks to my friends for saying such nice things and Chris O'Brien for writing this."
Read the full story here.
(By the way, Wadhwa is a big fan of WRAL Tech Wire. You have most likely seen his face in ads promoting the publication.)
Get the latest news alerts: Follow WRAL Tech Wire at Twitter.
SHARE THIS
ARTICLES
