Something Ventured – Paul Holland, Molly Davis

SOMETHING VENTURED tells the story of the creation of an industry that went on to become the single greatest engine of innovation and economic growth in the 20th century. It is told by the visionary risk-takers who dared to make it happen…Tom Perkins, Don Valentine, Arthur Rock, Dick Kramlich and others. The film also includes some of our finest entrepreneurs sharing how they worked with these venture capitalists to grow world-class companies like Intel, Apple, Cisco, Atari, Genentech, Tandem and others.

Beginning in the late 1950′s, this small group of high rollers fostered a one-of-a-kind business culture that encouraged extraordinary risk and made possible unprecedented rewards. They laid the groundwork for America’s start-up economy, providing not just the working capital but the guidance to allow seedling companies to reach their full potential. Our lives would be dramatically different without the contributions that these venture capitalists made to the creation of PCs, the Internet and life-saving drugs.

SOMETHING VENTURED was conceived by Paul Holland, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist. Paul, a general partner with Foundation Capital, is co-executive producer of the film along with Molly Davis of Rainmaker Communications. The film was directed by Emmy-Award-winning filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine.

What Happened After Steve was Fired from Apple?
The Venture Capitalists:
Arthur Rock Early investor in Fairchild Semiconductor, Intel, Apple and Teledyne
Tom Perkins Founder of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, early investor in companies linke Genentech and Tandem
Don Valentine Founder of Sequoia Capital; early investor in companies like Apple, Cisco, Oracle, Electronic Arts and LSI Logic
Dick Kramlich Founder of New Enterprise Associates, investor in companies like PowerPoint, Juniper Networks, Macromedia and Dallas Semiconductor
Reid Dennis Founder of Institutional Venture Partners
Bill Draper Founder of Sutter Hill Ventures; Founder of Draper Richards
Pitch Johnson Co-founder of Draper and Johnson Investment; Founder of Asset Management Company
Bill Bowes Founder of US Venture Partners
Bill Edwards Founder of Bryan and Edwards
Jim Gaither One of the early developers of the venture financing structure still in use today
The Entrepreneurs:
Gordon Moore Founder of Intel; one of Fairchild Semiconductor’s “Traitorous Eight”
Jimmy Treybig Founder of Tandem
Nolan Bushnell Founder of Atari
Dr. Herbert Boyer Co-founder of Genentech
Mike Markkula Early CEO of Apple
Sandy Lerner Co-founder of Cisco
John Morgridge Early CEO of Cisco
Robert Campbell Founder of PowerPoint