Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Crossing the Cactus by David C. Blivin is a roadmap for building tech commercialization ecosystems beyond Silicon Valley in under-resourced regions in the U.S. Blivin talks about the critical importance of early-stage capital, experienced leadership aligned with startup phases, and local talent pipelines supported by universities. He speaks on funding models like co-investment funds and angel tax credits, leaning into the need for flexible policies and local engagement to retain startups. He includes case studies from New Mexico, Cincinnati, and Texas, illustrating how public-private partnerships and targeted incentives support innovation. Blivin stresses strategic coordination of funding, management, workforce development, and infrastructure to create sustainable entrepreneurial environments. He questions past efforts that prioritized large venture funds over foundational needs, offering practical approaches to bridge capital gaps and attract executives while driving regional ecosystem growth.

David C. Blivin’s Crossing the Cactus: A Blueprint for Tech Commercialization Success Outside Silicon Valley is a wonderfully polished and professional guide that goes a long way in its pitch-perfect writing style to communicate even the more complicated areas with clarity and ease. The book itself is organized thoughtfully, guiding readers through detailed discussions with a steady, assured, and authoritative voice. The language is accessible and strikes a great balance that will appeal to both practitioners and readers who are at the beginning of their start-up journeys. Blivin’s structure is its greatest asset, and I admit that I bookmarked several sections. I think a lot of guides forget that the ability to go back and refresh or dig deeper into specific areas is really important, and Blivin efficiently supports this with headings and logical progression. His choice to include concrete examples and practical frameworks grounds the work in real-world application. Overall, this is a strong guide that sits at the top of the stack of tech and business development books. Very highly recommended.