Silicon Valley Prague News

Happiness Quotient

Last night I had the great honor of attending a small gathering at the exquisite Peninsula home of Richard and Barbara Pivnicka (Richard serves as the Honorary Consul for the Czech Republic while Barbara serves as the Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic). This dynamic couple is renowned for organizing some of Silicon Valley's most interesting power players to mix and mingle with various politicians, world leaders, and executives. Lat night's event was no exception, boasting a guest list that would make many a journalist at the Economist swoon. The guest of honor was the Chairman of Microsoft Europe Jan Muehlfeit, a 47-year-old-ex-professional tennis player, who speakers to his audience with all of the energy and enthusiasm of being on the court awaiting that next winning shot. He palpably bubbles with positive intensity – bouncing about the room as he discusses staying competitive in the 21^st century.

Muehlfeit modestly credits his own success with his scientific and athletic training. Thinking several steps ahead in the lab and on the court has translated to a career that has always had him anticipating multiple outcomes and utilizing flexibility to achieve and exceed goals. He is a man who sees the big picture, as well as the details, and it was refreshing to hear his take on business, education, and global growth opportunities. On a whirlwind trip through the Bay Area, Muehlfeit visited the venture capitalists on San Hill Road, the Tesla Showroom in Menlo Park, along with various other meetings. At one point he turned to Richard Pivnicka and said, "I love Silicon Valley. It's like an intellectual playground." Muehlfeit concluded his address at the Pivnickas by discussing a subject which he has studied at length – happiness. On the surface, studying "happiness" might seem like an unusual thing for a global executive to do, but Muehlfeit quickly serves up a host of facts backing up the assertion that countries with the highest levels of happiness will be the ones that will succeed over the next few decades. He left the crowd to chew on that bit of philosophy.

Stefanie Lingle Beasley / Editorial Director
GENTRY, December 2008, page 46

Qbizm Technologies, Inc.

On the Silicon Valley front, the latest Czech company to open up an office in Silicon Valley is Qbizm Technologies, Inc. (www.qbizm.com) a Czech company based in Brno and Prague. According to Peter Ulrich, the CEO of Qbizm software company, opening an office in San Jose creates many new exciting opportunities for Qbizm on an international basis.