Alexandre Lazarow Knihy

A new playbook for innovation and startup success is emerging beyond Silicon Valley, at the "frontier." Startups have transformed the world, with notable names like Tesla, Apple, and Amazon becoming household staples. The economic value of startups has doubled since 1992 and is expected to double again in the next fifteen years. While Silicon Valley has long been the epicenter of this phenomenon, the landscape is rapidly changing. Technology now allows startups to thrive anywhere—from Delhi to Detroit, Nairobi to Sao Paulo. Despite this globalization, our understanding of successful startups remains largely influenced by the Silicon Valley model, which has been extensively documented in various forms. Venture capitalist Alexandre Lazarow argues that this framework needs an update, drawing insights from the "frontier," a network of emerging startup ecosystems outside traditional economic hubs. In these regions, startups often face political and economic instability, limited infrastructure, and scarce access to funding and talent. Entrepreneurs here must create entire industries rather than simply disrupt existing ones, as local markets may be too small. Their focus shifts to resilience and sustainability over rapid growth. Through diverse stories of frontier innovators, this book presents a new framework for innovation applicable worldwide.