• The New York Times, Friday, December 28, 2007 11:30 AM

Former Googlers who've already made their multimillions are fast becoming Silicon Valley's next VCs. Not unlike the wave of former PayPal employees who've now either funded or started countless startups, Google alumni are either directly or indirectly putting their wealth into a series of Next Big Things.

Among them is Chris Sacca, Google's former Wi-Fi guru who left the company last month. "I had one of the best jobs in the world," proclaims 32-year-old Sacca. "But there is a world of opportunity." Google's employee base of 16,000 isn't for everyone. Sacca, who now runs his own venture fund, says he enjoys working at a smaller company.

Like the PayPalers before them, former Google employees are turning to their own for help in finding investors, talent, and startups with potential. "The bonds that are built at this place are tight and lasting, and it has been a great place to meet some of the most talented people in this valley," says Sacca. Google vets like Sacca are hoping to erect the Web's next powerful network. The success of former PayPal employees, who've founded YouTube, LinkedIn, and Slide, has shown that sticking together tends to pay off.

Read the whole story at The New York Times »