Hello From Silicon Valley,

We hope you were able to read Ambassador Roos’ Nikkei opinion editorial, “Strengthening ties to Silicon Valley” that was published on Nov 20. If you weren’t able to, please take the opportunity to read it now. In the editorial, Ambassador Roos makes the case that partnership between Silicon Valley and Japan has become pertinent and strategic. Pertinent because the pace of digitization has accelerated dramatically under COVID and the importance of Silicon Valley as the central node in that global trend has increased. Strategic because US-China rivalry has added a geopolitical dimension to technological adoption for companies. As the Suga Administration gears up to launch the Digital Agency, and as the Biden Administration refocuses on its allies in Asia, strengthening Silicon Valley - Japan partnership should be a top priority.

All our best,
Brent and the Geodesic Team

P.S. What an exciting week as we congratulate Airbnb on its successful IPO this morning! We will share more news of the IPO as it comes in, but we are thrilled to see a portfolio company deliver success despite the challenging times.

Implications of the US Presidential Election with Rahm Emanuel
Topic: As a reminder, we will be hosting a virtual fireside chat between Ambassador Roos and Mayor Emanuel followed by Q&A. Rahm Emanuel has a long history of public service roles that include White House Chief of Staff for President Obama, Member of the House of Representatives (2003-2009) where he served as Chairman of the Democratic Caucus, and Mayor of Chicago (2011-2019). He is one of our nation's most knowledgeable and experienced leaders and his perspective on the current moment will be insightful for everyone able to join this special session.

Date: Monday, December 14 @ 3 PM PT

Where: Zoom

Recent Article by Geodesic Investor Morgan Livermore
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Marqeta and Uber Enter Strategic Global Card-issuing Partnership
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