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Wikimedia abandons Florida for San Francisco

Founder heading for epicenter of high-tech world

By , Chronicle Staff Writer
WALES12_017_LH_.JPG Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia edited by people power. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle/San Francisco/7/11/07 **Jimmy Wales cq Ran on: 07-19-2007 Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales is one of the most influential people on the Internet, and not afraid to shake things up. Ran on: 08-27-2007 Jimmy Wales, who founded Wikipedia, believes in the power of collective thinking.
WALES12_017_LH_.JPG Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia edited by people power. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle/San Francisco/7/11/07 **Jimmy Wales cq Ran on: 07-19-2007 Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales is one of the most influential people on the Internet, and not afraid to shake things up. Ran on: 08-27-2007 Jimmy Wales, who founded Wikipedia, believes in the power of collective thinking.Liz Hafalia

The Wikimedia Foundation, the force behind the popular online encyclopedia Wikipedia, is moving its headquarters to San Francisco this winter, further solidifying the Bay Area's position as the epicenter of the Web 2.0 movement, which focuses on collaboration, community and user-generated content.

Founder Jimmy Wales said Wednesday that the small operation is packing up its office in St. Petersburg, Fla., and moving to San Francisco in an attempt to create a larger brand, attract more talent and make better inroads in developing countries, particularly in Asia.

Wikipedia, which is edited largely by volunteers, is among the 10-most-visited Internet sites in the world.

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The foundation, which began in June 2003 in St. Petersburg, employs six full-time employees. Trustees also considered moving the nonprofit to London, New York and Washington.

"San Francisco won out for all the obvious reasons; the Internet culture, the great developers and potential partners. It's really the place to be," said Wales. "We're a major Internet brand and this is where a lot of the major brands are located."

Wikimedia plans to move out of its office by the end of January, though not all of its employees will make the trip to San Francisco, Wales said. The foundation plans to begin hiring more employees in the coming weeks, and managers will begin scouting a site later this year.

"San Francisco is the center of high tech in the United States and will give the foundation access to a rich array of resources, including best-in-breed online talent, top-tier universities, world-class support services and major media," Florence Devouard, chairwoman of the Wikimedia Foundation board of trustees, said in a statement.

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Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, said Wikimedia is a perfect addition to the local Web scene.

"There are so many people who deeply believe in its role in history and culture. I'm one of them, and I'm excited about the move," he said. "My usual remark is that 'Craigslist is for the moment, but Wikipedia is for the ages' - and I don't feel that's an exaggeration."

Jason Calacanis, a serial tech entrepreneur, former chief executive officer of the Silicon Alley Reporter and organizer of the TechCrunch 40 conference, said moving to the Bay Area can be a mixed bag for a company that's already proven to be a success in Florida.

"Certainly being closer to possible funding sources and technical talent is a good idea. However, Wikipedia has done very well operating outside of the valley's sometimes frenetic culture," he said. "They certainly could use more experienced board members to help with their growth and fundraising."

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San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom welcomed the nonprofit to town in a statement. "Wikimedia will be an illustrious addition to our thriving information technology hub," he said. "They represent the cutting edge of Internet-based innovation and will contribute greatly to the atmosphere of creativity that flourishes in San Francisco."

The move helps Wales consolidate his business interests. He already has a for-profit business in San Mateo called Wikia, which provides resources for building and organizing free content online. St. Petersburg was an accidental choice for Wikimedia, Wales said. It was a cheap place to live for Wales as he worked on Wikipedia, but he said the lack of tech talent made it hard to continue there.

Although he was coy about immediate plans for Wikimedia upon its move to San Francisco, he said there is one thing that is certain for Wikimedia's employees.

"We'll be eating at more interesting restaurants now," he said.

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