Business & Technology

For technology enthusiasts, Palo Alto is the birthplace of the Silicon Valley, the world’s technology hub. The explosive growth of technology companies has expanded the boundaries of Silicon Valley, which now spans both the east and west sides of the San Francisco Bay and as far south as Gilroy, 35 miles south of Palo Alto. It is hard to know where to draw boundary lines for the Silicon Valley, but one defining aspect remains crystal clear.  The Silicon Valley embodies innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, constant change and evolution.

Today, Palo Alto is home to research and development trailblazers and innovative, fledgling companies alike. The city’s name is synonymous with many high-profile international corporations: Hewlett-Packard, Space Systems/Loral, Agilent Technologies, Roche Bioscience and Varian.  You will find the corporate headquarters of these companies in Palo Alto in addition to offices of the New York Stock Exchange, Genencor International, and Xerox Research Center. To serve the appetite of this voracious technology community, you will find high-tech law firms such as Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich and Rosati, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP and Cooley Godward LLP.

Sales tax is the largest income producer for the city, generating 22% of the total General Fund revenue, followed by property taxes and utility user taxes.

An integral component of the city’s development and technology focus is Stanford Research Park, while the East Bayshore and the San Antonio Road/Bayshore Corridors are key locations for start-ups and other entrepreneurial enterprises.