Ron Weiner, who runs startup accelerator Venture Mechanics, has 41 years of fundraising in Silicon Valley under his belt, and he knows not to expect much action in the last week of August. This week, many of the denizens of Silicon Valley have set out-of-office replies and headed out to the Nevada desert for Burning Man.
Christmas is the only other time of year when this many people in Silicon Valley step away from their desks. “It's kind of a ghost town over Burning Man, where founders clear out, investors clear out,” said Alison Bearman, who has spent the last decade working in the area, mostly in climate tech. The event also typically coincides with popular summer vacation times and college move-in dates for parents, creating a perfect storm for the tech epicenter to empty.
The situation actually sounds quite nice for those left behind, depending on how you look at it. Aside from the slower work week, many report quicker and more relaxing commutes and an easier time scoring dinner reservations.
