Innovation Dialog with Greg Tanaka, A self-described nerd who grew up in a low-income Los Angeles household, an Entrepreneur who is detemined to become the decision-maker
A self-described nerd who grew up in a low-income Los Angeles household, an Entrepreneur who is detemined to become the decision-maker for our next generation.
About Guest:
Greg Lin Tanaka (林田中)
Greg Lin Tanaka was born in Los Angeles to a Japanese-American father and a Chinese-American mother. Raised in a single parent household, he went on to attend the California Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley. Greg moved permanently to the Bay Area in 1993, settling down in Palo Alto’s College Terrace neighborhood in 2004. He is a father, an entrepreneur and devoted public servant, someone with the experience necessary for competent leadership and the outsider’s perspective central to innovative policy solutions. The pressing need for government and policies to catch up with technological advancements and a changing economy prompted Greg to run for Congress. His campaign is built on the belief that Silicon Valley and its residents deserve representation prepared for the challenges and opportunities of a new digital age.
Prior to taking office on the City Council, Greg first cut his teeth as a design engineer before pivoting to the business side of the technology industry. For years, he took a leading role in a series of startups working with both hardware and software, making a name for himself in Silicon Valley during his time at Synopsys and Rambus, gaining indispensable experience in an industry that is rapidly redefining our economy and society. In 2012, he founded the business analytics firm Percolata with funding from Google Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz. At Percolata, Greg pioneered the use of machine learning to help clients like Uniqlo and 7-Eleven make smarter marketing decisions and optimize their operations. Additionally, Greg founded Pika Group in 2020, a web3 startup that develops algorithms to help automate day trading. Throughout his time at the intersection of the tech and business worlds, Greg has developed a unique perspective on how to leverage technological innovations and the power of the internet to better the lives of Silicon Valley residents and everyday Americans. He would bring the instincts of an entrepreneur and the pragmatism of an experienced public servant to Capitol Hill, instead of the narrow-mindedness of political insiders.
Seeing the world change at such a rapid pace during his time in both public service and the world of technology, Greg believes that it is time for Congress to get a reboot, and for Silicon Valley to have the legislator that it deserves. There are a lot of problems to tackle, especially with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges posed by emerging technologies and a digitizing world, but there are also countless opportunities that can be harnessed with the right policies and innovative spirit. Greg is running so that Silicon Valley residents can finally have the twenty-first century solutions that they need.