Silicon Valley is home to dozens of major technology, software, and internet companies. Some of the major companies in the region include Apple, Alphabet's Google, Chevron, Meta, (formerly Facebook), and Visa.

The very name is synonymous with the rise of the computer and electronics industry as well as the emergence of the digital economy and the Internet. As such, Silicon Valley is also a state of mind, an idea about regional economic development, and part of a new mythology of American wealth.

Etymology. Silicon Valley derives its name from the silicon used in transistors and computer chips, pioneered in the region in the 20th century.

Still, the term Silicon Valley has grown to largely encapsulate the entirety of the tech community in the Bay Area in casual conversation. Cities that officially comprise Silicon Valley include San Jose, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Redwood City and Sunnyvale.