Donald T Valentine Early Bay Area Venture Capitalists

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Donald T Valentine Early Bay Area Venture Capitalists Regional Oral History Office University of California The Bancroft Library Berkeley, California DONALD T. VALENTINE EARLY BAY AREA VENTURE CAPITALISTS: SHAPING THE ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS LANDSCAPE Interviews conducted by Sally Smith Hughes, PhD in 2009 Copyright © 2010 by The Regents of the University of California ii Since 1954 the Regional Oral History Office has been interviewing leading participants in or well-placed witnesses to major events in the development of Northern California, the West, and the nation. Oral History is a method of collecting historical information through tape-recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. The tape recording is transcribed, lightly edited for continuity and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewee. The corrected manuscript is bound with photographs and illustrative materials and placed in The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, and in other research collections for scholarly use. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account, offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is reflective, partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ********************************* All uses of this manuscript are covered by a legal agreement between The Regents of the University of California and Donald Valentine, March 8, 2010. The manuscript is thereby made available for research purposes. All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. No part of the manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the Director of The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to the Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, Mail Code 6000, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-6000, and should include identification of the specific passages to be quoted, anticipated use of the passages, and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Donald T. Valentine, “Early Bay Area Venture Capitalists: Shaping the Economic and Business Landscape,” an oral history conducted by Sally Smith Hughes in 2009, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 2010. iii Donald Valentine, 2002 Photo courtesy Sequoia Capital v Project Overview Early Bay Area Venture Capitalists: Shaping the Business and Industrial Landscape documents through videotaped interview with the first generation of venture capitalists the origins and evolution of venture capital in California. The project explores and explains through the words of participants how venture capital in the state originated in the 1960s and 1970s, its intersection with national legislation and policy, the significance of its location, and its role in creating new companies, new technologies, and new individual and institutional wealth. The Project Venture capital was not a term when these narrators began to practice “risk investment” in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The oral histories describe the evolution of the field into the industry of today, focusing on its earliest emergence in Northern California. The narrators describe their circuitous routes into venture capital, their individual approaches to its practice, illustrative investments in key companies, the significance of its location in the Golden State, and its contributions to creating, financing, and building new companies, nationally and, increasingly, internationally. Conceived and generously funded by Paul “Pete” Bancroft III, the project in its second year has interviewed twelve individuals. In the third and final year, the project scope expands to include interviews with representative investment bankers, attorneys, and early venture-backed entrepreneurs, as well as with additional venture capitalists. Completed oral histories, including those donated by related projects, are available at: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ROHO/projects/vc/ An advisory board meets periodically to select individuals for interviews and advise on general direction. Members: Paul Bancroft III, William Bowes Jr., William Draper III, Jerome Engel, Charles Faulhaber, Franklin Pitcher Johnson, and Alan Mendelson. Project Director and Interviewer: Sally Smith Hughes Videographers: Julie Allen, Caroline Crawford, and Linda Norton Transcriber: Kathleen Zvanovec vi Donald T. Valentine Biography Mr. Valentine is a venture capitalist at Sequoia Capital focusing on semiconductor, systems and software investments. Don founded Sequoia Capital in 1972 and was one of the original investors in Apple Computer (AAPL), Atari, Cisco Systems (CSCO), LSI Logic (LSI), Oracle (ORCL) and Electronic Arts (ERTS). Prior to starting Sequoia Capital, Don was a founder of National Semiconductor and a senior sales and marketing executive with Fairchild Semiconductor. vii Discursive Table of Contents—Donald Valentine Interview #1: October 20, 2009 [Audio File 1] 1 Born back east, moved to CA to get away from the snow—Catholic school education—nuns “not especially well-educated, very passionate about their faith, and very adept at beating you” attempted to break young Valentine of left-handed writing—high school instruction by Marist brothers who favored Socratic method—Jesuit-led college at Fordham University—Catholic schooling encourages inquisitiveness and skepticism—parents—Danish grandfather’s membership and ambivalence towards the Teamsters—inclination toward technical subjects at Fordham because instructor quality was relatively high—drafted in 1954, navy service in Huntington Beach, CA, playing water polo—taking sales and marketing classes at UCLA—work at Sylvania with hopes of relocation to CA with its leading edge opportunity and fine weather—taking business classes at UCLA but no interest in business degree: “I was not interested in learning to raise money, I was interested in building great companies”—the decision to specialize in marketing—education at Fairchild in Mountain View, CA—thoughts on semiconductors, silicon vs. germanium—the early days at Fairchild, 1959-1960—marketing a new product—sales conferences—the beginning of personal investment while at Fairchild. [Audio File 2] 20 Decision to leave Fairchild in 1967—National Semiconductors, inventing a different marketing structure—being recruited to manage startup fund (later Sequoia)—1970s reluctance to invest in “risky” stocks—Roger Kennedy reinterprets Prudent Man Rule and universities begin aggressive investment strategies—venture capital pioneers take advantage of SBIC program, Valentine prefers not to deal with the government—brief thoughts on George Doriot—decision to leave semiconductor business—Capital Research and Management’s interest in Valentine’s private investing, and offer to start Sequoia—considering Sequoia opportunity, Valentine’s standing in the high tech business community—Valentine’s position a unique intersection of semiconductor and microprocessor knowledge and marketing experience—Sequoia’s first investment: Atari in 1975—process of deciding on games as focus—more on important of geography, California’s unique advantages—difficulty in explaining Silicon Valley phenomenon: other areas have silicon and excellent universities—the importance of pragmatism, discerning relevant from irrelevant: e.g., Steve Jobs’ unprofessional attire—comparisons with Seattle—preponderance of Asian immigrants in Silicon Valley—more on unwillingness to do business with the government—the process of taking on partners—working with different types of partners: “some are more needy than others”—two visionaries: Steve Jobs and Bob Noyce. viii Interview #2: December 4, 2009 39 [Audio File 3] Recap on life from university to Sequoia: 1954-1970s—background on Fairchild Semiconductor, joined in 1960 in LA, creative investment by Arthur Rock through Fairchild Camera and Instrument—growth from $1 million in sales to $100 million by 1964—military experience providing high tech training, unique technical skill set—more on the difficulty of explaining Silicon Valley phenomenon, comparisons to other technological revolutions: Detroit and autos—importance of immigrants, UCB and Stanford—role of lawyer Lerach—obsolescence of paper filing with the advent of electronic records—more on Lerach, insurance against repeated lawsuits: “I’m the only person not getting paid!”—Lerach chooses his prison—1967, Valentine begins a more derivative approach to engineering decisions—commitment to hands-on investing, staying on the West Coast—paucity of funds available to venture capital in 1960s and 1970s. [Audio File 4] 54 Starting Sequoia in the conservative climate of 1970s East Coast finance—raising $5m to invest in tech companies—interest in building companies, not investment business—tempting tax-exempt funds such as university endowments and pensions with promises of doubled returns—encounter with Salomon Brothers in NYC, Harvard Business School chauvinism—more on “Fairchild Semiconductor School of Business”—thoughts on lawyers—estimating costs at the outset of a project—comparisons with Harvard Business School alum colleagues—managing change—Walkman example—leading a company to embrace and harness change—victims
Recommended publications
  • Valuation and Start-Up Strategies Class News
    290T: The Business of Software: Valuation and Start-up Strategies Professor Kurt Keutzer Fall 2003 EECS [email protected] 1 Class News • Sorry, can’t make my office hour this week 3-4PM Tuesday, I’ll move it to Wed 2-3PM 2 landay 1 Valuation • The key common element between these: Start-up/ Entry Valuation Exit 3 Valuable Business Skills 1. The ability to predict the future 2. The ability to judge people 3. The ability to identify the value (and its direction arrow) of a technology, product, company, market or industry 4. The ability to develop a valuable technology, product, company, market or industry 4 landay 2 So, let’s get started! How do we value these? • A pen? • The cost to replace it • A diamond? • Table look up on size, cut, index of refraction, color (the 4C’s) • An oil well? • The value of seven years production • A year of your work life • Comparable salaries • Opportunity cost!!! 5 So, let’s get started! How do we value these? • A house? • Market comparison (comparables) • Cost of land and construction • Income: • Estimated_rental_income – mortgage - taxes – maintenance * 12 * 30 • Includes: risk, maintenance • What other factors could affect the sale? • Unique features of the property (house provides access to other valuable property) • Disposition of buyers • Disposition of sellers 6 landay 3 Buyers and Sellers • How many sellers have a comparable product? • Disposition of seller • Doesn’t want to sell • Willing to sell, but in no hurry • In the mood to sell • Anxious to sell • How many buyers are there? • Disposition of the buyer • Disinterested • Interested, but passively so • Actively interested • MUST HAVE! 7 Why do we need to value start-ups? • To raise capital • Invested capital buys some portion of company • Need to value start-up to determine how much money will buy • For example: myNewStartup, Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • HOW DID SILICON VALLEY BECOME SILICON VALLEY? Three Surprising Lessons for Other Cities and Regions
    HOW DID SILICON VALLEY BECOME SILICON VALLEY? Three Surprising Lessons for Other Cities and Regions a report from: supported by: 2 / How Silicon Valley Became "Silicon Valley" This report was created by Rhett Morris and Mariana Penido. They wish to thank Jona Afezolli, Fernando Fabre, Mike Goodwin, Matt Lerner, and Han Sun who provided critical assistance and input. For additional information on this research, please contact Rhett Morris at [email protected]. How Silicon Valley Became "Silicon Valley" / 3 INTRODUCTION THE JOURNALIST Don Hoefler coined the York in the chip industry.4 No one expected the term “Silicon Valley” in a 1971 article about region to become a hub for these technology computer chip companies in the San Francisco companies. Bay Area.1 At that time, the region was home to Silicon Valley’s rapid development offers many prominent chip businesses, such as Intel good news to other cities and regions. This and AMD. All of these companies used silicon report will share the story of its creation and to manufacture their chips and were located in analyze the steps that enabled it to grow. While a farming valley south of the city. Hoefler com- it is impossible to replicate the exact events that bined these two facts to create a new name for established this region 50 years ago, the devel- the area that highlighted the success of these opment of Silicon Valley can provide insights chip businesses. to leaders in communities across the world. Its Silicon Valley is now the most famous story illustrates three important lessons for cul- technology hub in the world, but it was a very tivating high-growth companies and industries: different place before these businesses devel- oped.
    [Show full text]
  • Role of Venture Capital in Economic Growth of United States
    Role of Venture Capital in Economic Growth of United States - Maria Ben ________________________________________________________________________________ Venture capital is a form of financing used by startups and young companies at different stages of their growth. At early stages of development, raising debt capital is extremely difficult for young companies owing to the huge uncertainties involved. Young companies, especially those with business models that aren’t fully proven, or firms that haven’t reached their break even, find it extremely difficult to access funding. This is where VCs play a huge role by making risky investments in startups and young companies in return for equity ownership. The role that VCs play is not limited to capital contribution, they also provide mentorship, industry connect and an entire network of support systems which enables in large scale expansion of young business models. Not only is it beneficial to entrepreneurs, but it also has several other positive impacts. This article explores one such aspect of venture capital; how it is a fuel for innovation and economic growth in countries like the United States. In 2018, out of the ten most valuable companies in the world, seven of them were startups that had humble beginnings and were funded by venture capital. These include – Apple, Amazon, Alphabet(Google), Microsoft, Facebook, Alibaba and Tencent. Interestingly, five out of these seven companies belong to the United States which is also home to Silicon Valley, the hub of 1 entrepreneurship and venture capitalism . According to a study conducted by Stanford University, public companies in the United States with venture capital backing, employ about four million people and account for one-fifth of the total market capitalization.(Stanford) (World’s most valuable companies in terms of market capitalisation in 2018) Source: statistica.com 1 "Investing and Economics Blog." The 20 Most Valuable Companies in the World – Jan 2019 at Curious Cat ​ Investing and Economics Blog.
    [Show full text]
  • Fostering Entrepreneurship: Backing Founders Or Investors?
    Introduction The Model Conclusion Fostering Entrepreneurship: Backing Founders or Investors? Thomas Hellmann1 Veikko Thiele2 1Saïd Business School, University of Oxford 2Smith School of Business, Queen’s University Work in Progress – Comments Welcome! Research Seminar, Keio University April 22, 2016 Hellmann and Thiele Fostering Entrepreneurship: Backing Founders or Investors? Introduction The Model Conclusion Motivation Rising interest in entrepreneurship globally Based on key role for economic growth Silicon Valley envy Silicon Fen, Silicon Desert Alternative views on reasons for success Smart gutsy entrepreneurs Experienced investor ecosystem Many other... Role of government Should it play an active role? If so, what policies? Hellmann and Thiele Fostering Entrepreneurship: Backing Founders or Investors? Introduction The Model Conclusion Research Questions What are the intertemporal dynamics of an entrepreneurial ecosystem? What is the importance of experienced investors? How do you foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem? Should government policies back founders or investors? Hellmann and Thiele Fostering Entrepreneurship: Backing Founders or Investors? Introduction The Model Conclusion Intergenerational Dynamics Innovative start-ups need support Half-baked ideas Daunting entrepreneurial process Innovative start-ups difficult to support Have domain expertise Understand entrepreneurial process Who can help? Experienced investors and advisers Serial entrepreneurs Hellmann and Thiele Fostering Entrepreneurship: Backing Founders or Investors?
    [Show full text]
  • Click Here to Download the Study Guide
    SOMETHING VENTURED Study Guide How to Use this Study Guide The entrepreneurs and venture capitalists featured in Something Ventured represent far more than their individual stories. They illustrate the motivations, problems, approaches and successes of entrepreneurs around the world. Students of business, science, engineering or other disciplines will grasp lessons and themes of entrepreneurship that transcend the years—lessons and themes they can apply to their own professional lives. Something Ventured gives students a framework for discussing and discovering the complexities of being a leader, an investor, and an innovator. The Something Ventured study guide addresses four main themes in the film: I. Innovation II. Risk III. Success and Failure IV. Leadership Each theme consists of three tools: I. Review Questions help instructors guide an analysis of the key themes of Something Ventured. These questions are supplemented with time codes pointing to relevant film sequences that can be replayed to reinforce understanding. II. Case Studies drive further discussion about how these companies helped shape our technology and lifestyles. These case studies provide a deeper appreciation for the companies in the film as well as what the leaders did— or did not do—to achieve success. III. Additional Readings expand the discussion beyond Something Ventured with Web-based content to enable students to explore the themes of the film in greater depth. These additional readings include articles from respected news organizations and scholarly publications. 2 | P a g e SOMETHING VENTURED Study Guide I. INNOVATION Innovation starts with an idea. For new product. A different approach to solving a problem. A breakthrough in science or engineering.
    [Show full text]
  • Fairchild Semiconductor
    Report to the Computer History Museum on the Information Technology Corporate Histories Project Semiconductor Sector Fairchild Semiconductor Company Details Name: Fairchild Semiconductor Sector: Semiconductor Sector Description . THIS SITE WAS ESTABLISHED TO COLLECT AND PRESENT INFORMATION AND STORIES RELATED TO FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR AS PART OF THE OCTOBER 2007 CELEBRATION OF THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE COMPANY. IF YOU HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO CONTRIBUTE PLEASE CONTACT THE FACILITATORS LISTED BELOW. Overview Founded in 1957 in a building now designated as California Historical Landmark # 1000 in Palo Alto, California by eight young engineers and scientists from Shockley Semiconductor Laboratories, Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation pioneered new products and technologies together with an entrepreneurial style and manufacturing and marketing techniques that reshaped Silicon Valley and the world-wide industry. The Planar process invented in 1959 revolutionized the production of semiconductor devices and enables the manufacture of today's billion transistor microprocessor and memory chips. Funded by and later acquired as a division of Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation of Syosset, New York, Fairchild was the first manufacturer to introduce high-frequency silicon transistors and practical monolithic integrated circuits to the market. At the peak of its influence in the mid-1960s, the division was one of the world’s largest producers of silicon transistors and controlled over 30 percent of the market for ICs. Director of Research and Development, Gordon Moore observed in 1965 that device complexity was increasing at a consistent rate and predicted that this would continue into the future. “Moore’s Law,” as it became known, created a yardstick against which companies have measured their technology progress for over 40 years.
    [Show full text]
  • EXHIBIT L L-1 Possible Timeline for Infusion of Funds by Sequoia Into VIPKID Kobe Bryant Invests in CKGSB Alumna’S Company VIPKID - CKGSB 2/11/21, 5:18 PM
    EXHIBIT L L-1 Possible timeline for infusion of funds by Sequoia into VIPKID Kobe Bryant Invests in CKGSB Alumna’s Company VIPKID - CKGSB 2/11/21, 5:18 PM local and global experience prepared her well to start her own business, VIPKID, which Mi founded in 2013. She later joined CKGSB’s Chuang Community, a start-up incubator that was founded in 2015 by CKGSB Associate Dean Liu Jing together with five well-known CKGSB alumni. VIPKID’s Financing Milestones: Angel round: December 2013, 3 million RMB, from Innovation Works; A round: October 2014, 5 million USD, from MatrixPartners China, followed by Innovation Works and Sequoia Capital. B round: October 2015, 20 million USD, from Northern Light Venture Capital, MatrixPartners China, Sequoia Capital and Innovation Works. C round: August 2016, $100 million, from Sequoia Capital and Jack Ma’s Yunfeng Capital. About VIPKID: Founded in 2013, VIPKID’s mission is to provide the North American elementary school experience to Chinese children – all from the comfort of their home. The company’s sophisticated virtual classroom streams native English-speaking teachers into Chinese homes, linking the world through education. CEO Cindy Mi (left) along with her VIPKID co-founders https://english.ckgsb.edu.cn/new/kobe-bryant-invests-in-ckgsb-alumnas-company-vipkid-2/ Page 4 of 5 L-2: Sequoia describes its “ethos” on its website People Build Companies Sequoia, 1972 and beyond The creative spirits. The underdogs. The resolute. The determined. The outsiders. The defiant. The independent thinkers. The fighters and the true believers. These are the founders with whom we partner.
    [Show full text]
  • The Forgotten Founder © 1999 by Owen W
    The Forgotten Founder © 1999 by Owen W. Linzmayer ([email protected]) The Forgotten Founder Thanks to a never-ending campaign by Apple’s powerful public When they adopted Steve (born relations machine to protect the myths surrounding the company’s February 24, 1955), Paul and Clara Jobs lived at 1758 45th Avenue in San origin, almost everyone believes that Apple was started in a garage Francisco’s Sunset district. After five by “the two Steves,” Stephen Gary Wozniak, 25, and Steven Paul Jobs, months, the family moved to South San 21. Actually, the operation began in a bedroom at 11161 Crist Drive in Francisco and then Mountain View Los Altos (the house number changed to 2066 when the land was before settling in Los Altos. It wasn’t until Steve was in his 30s that he met annexed from the county to the city in late 1983), where Jobs—after his birth mother. At that time he also having dropped out of Reed College in Portland, Oregon—was living learned he had a half-sister, writer Mona with his adoptive parents, Paul R. (a machinist at Spectra Physics) Simpson, who subsequently used Steve and Clara (a payroll clerk at Varian). That mere semantic distinction as a model for the main character in one of her recent books, A Regular Guy. can be forgiven. When the bedroom became too crowded, the operation did indeed move to the garage. After moving out of Jobs’ garage, Apple Computer rented suite B3 at 20833 Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino, then built 10260 Bandley Drive, which became known as Bandley One when occupied on January 28, 1978.
    [Show full text]
  • High-Tech Ventures the Guide for Entrepreneurial Success
    C. GORDON BELL with JOHN E. McNAMARA - HIGH-TECH VENTURES THE GUIDE FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS vvA ADDISON-WESLEY PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. Reading, Massachusetts Menlo Park, California New York Don Mills, Ontario Wokinghan, England Amsterdam Bonn Sydney Singapore Tokyo Madrid San Juan Paris Seoul Milan Mexico City Taipei Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Addison- Wesley was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed using initial caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bell, C. Gordon High-Tech ventures : the guide for entrepreneurial success / C. Gordon Bell with John E. McNamara p. cm. ISBN 0-201 -56321 -5 (hardback) 1. High technology industries-Management. 2. New business enterprises-Management. 3. Entrepreneurship. 4. Computer industry-Management. 5. Computer software industry-Management. I. McNamara, John E. 11. Title HC79.HS3B45 1991 90-25717 620.0064~20 CIP Copyright 0 1991 by Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written consent of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Published simultaneously in Canada. Cover design by Hannus Design Associates Cover photographs by Kurt R. Hulteen, Lisa LaForge, and John W. Wait Text design
    [Show full text]
  • Oral History of Gene P. Carter
    ........ Computer • History Museum Oral History of Gene P. Carter Interviewed by: Douglas Fairbairn Recorded: September 29, 2014 Mountain View, California CHM Reference number: X7271.2015 © 2014 Computer History Museum Oral History of Gene P. Carter Douglas Fairbairn: All right. It's September 29, 2014. We're at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. My name is Doug Fairbairn, and we're here to interview Gene Carter, who has basically sort of been through it all when it comes to Silicon Valley, from the early days of buying components, to helping market components, to microprocessors, and onto the world of personal computers, and even activities after that. So Gene has seen a lot in terms of the building and evolution of Silicon Valley, and we're happy to have him here, get his story behind-the-scenes activities of what went on in his experience. So welcome, Gene. Thanks for coming. Gene P. Carter: Thank you. Fairbairn: So Gene, looks like you were actually born in Wisconsin. Is that right? Carter: No, South Dakota. Fairbairn: South Dakota, OK. So tell me a little bit about your early family life, brothers, sisters. Just sort of set the scene in terms of where you were growing up and what it was like. Carter: Well, I was born in Huron, South Dakota and lived there until I was 10 years old. Growing up, my mother wanted me to have some kind of music capability, so I took tap dancing lessons, which I hated, and convinced her that I'd take piano lessons if I could quit tap dancing.
    [Show full text]
  • Building the Next Silicon Valley: the Role of Angel Investors in Economic Development
    FINANCING THE NEXT SILICON VALLEY Darian M. Ibrahim† Draft of January 2009 Silicon Valley’s success has led other regions to attempt their own high-tech transformations, yet most imitators have failed. Entrepreneurs may be in short supply in these “non-tech” regions, but some non-tech regions are home to high-quality entrepreneurs who relocate to Silicon Valley due to a lack of local financing for their start-ups. Non-tech regions must provide local finance to prevent entrepreneurial relocation and reap spillover benefits for their communities. This Article compares three possible sources of entrepreneurial finance – private venture capital, state-sponsored venture capital, and angel investor groups – and finds that angel groups have distinct advantages when it comes to funding innovation in non-tech regions. This entrepreneurial finance story is then supplemented by a “law and entrepreneurship” story – specifically, a look at federal securities laws that might impede optimal levels of angel group financing. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 2 I. THE SILICON VALLEY ECOSYSTEM ............................................................................ 5 II. THE BASE ELEMENTS OF AN ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITY .................................... 9 III. FUNDING FOR LOCAL INNOVATION: THE DEFICIENCIES OF VENTURE CAPITAL ..... 12 A. Private Venture Capital ....................................................................................... 13 B. State-Sponsored
    [Show full text]
  • Stanford University's Economic Impact Via Innovation and Entrepreneurship
    Impact: Stanford University’s Economic Impact via Innovation and Entrepreneurship October 2012 Charles E. Eesley, Assistant Professor in Management Science & Engineering; and Morgenthaler Faculty Fellow, School of Engineering, Stanford University William F. Miller, Herbert Hoover Professor of Public and Private Management Emeritus; Professor of Computer Science Emeritus and former Provost, Stanford University and Faculty Co-director, SPRIE* *We thank Sequoia Capital for its generous support of this research. 1 About the authors: Charles Eesley, is an assistant professor and Morgenthaler Faculty Fellow in the department of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University. His research interests focus on strategy and technology entrepreneurship. His research seeks to uncover which individual attributes, strategies and institutional arrangements optimally drive high growth and high tech entrepreneurship. He is the recipient of the 2010 Best Dissertation Award in the Business Policy and Strategy Division of the Academy of Management, of the 2011 National Natural Science Foundation Award in China, and of the 2007 Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Dissertation Fellowship Award for his work on entrepreneurship in China. His research appears in the Strategic Management Journal, Research Policy and the Journal of Economics & Management Strategy. Prior to receiving his PhD from the Sloan School of Management at MIT, he was an entrepreneur in the life sciences and worked at the Duke University Medical Center, publishing in medical journals and in textbooks on cognition in schizophrenia. William F. Miller has spent about half of his professional life in business and half in academia. He served as vice president and provost of Stanford University (1971-1979) where he conducted research and directed many graduate students in computer science.
    [Show full text]