THE SILICON VALLEY 100: The most amazing and inspiring people in tech right now

There's a misconception that Silicon Valley is all about creating frivolous apps and getting paid buckets of money to do it while working in a frat house. Some of the brogrammer culture does exist in pockets, but it doesn't define the cradle of innovation where thousands work and create in Silicon Valley.

Instead, after months of research and debate, Business Insider is proud to present the Silicon Valley 100, our annual list of the people who matter most and define what it means to be in Silicon Valley.

This isn't another who's who list based on long-standing reputation; rather it is a look at who made a difference in the past year. These are the star executives breaking new ground at companies, the venture capitalists who did more than make big bets on the future, and the companies that want to change industries and your life.

Did we miss anyone? Let us know in the comments below, because we love telling stories about amazing people.

Read this list in A-Z order »

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Additional reporting by Kaitlyn Yarborough, Tanza Loudenback, and Alexa Pipia.

Edited by Alex Morrell and Matt Rosoff.