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Do we really need the assertion that he built it by himself? There are well known Silicon Valley companies which predate intel by decades. Andy Grove sure was
by outworlder 11y ago
Do we really need the assertion that he built it by himself? There are well known Silicon Valley companies which predate intel by decades.
Andy Grove sure was an exceptional man. He changed the history of Silicon Valley. Which is no lesser feat.
- samstave 11y agoWell the funny thing is that the US Government Missle Program is really what built Silicon Valley (Intel) - if it weren't for that defense contract, for weapons of the Cold War, we really wouldn't be where we are today.
- marcuskaz 11y agoNot quite, radio, radar and microwaves were all prior to missile programs; but yes definitely military spending helped fund the Valley without a doubt. It's not a coincidence that Moffet Field is in the center of Silicon Valley.
- samstave 11y agoNo, watch this documentary: http://www.pbs.org/video/2320041315/ http://www.pbs.org/video/2320041315/
- davepeck 11y agoThere's no doubt as to the magnitude of Grove's influence, but the assertion might be a little strong. I'd argue the Traitorous Eight were the first to break the cultural mold and set the tone for modern entrepreneurship in the Valley. Two of the traitorous eight (Bob Noyce and Gordon Moore) later founded Intel, and another (Eugene Kleiner) established one of the Valley's most storied VC firms.
- marcuskaz 11y agoThe culture of the Valley is really interesting, Stanford Professor Frederick Terman probably should get the most credit. He influenced companies from the very beginning. Also Hewlett and Packard are often cited as the two that really set the tone and culture of valley, The HP Way management style was modeled by numerous companies. Hewlett and Packard were influenced greatly by the Varian brothers whose company in the 40's were some of the first to have radical ideas of profit-sharing, stock-ownership, insurance, and retirement plans for employees. Fairchild still had the Eastern company mindset of top down driven which with poor management led to the Traitorous Eight but the culture was already started in the Valley. More info on Varian at: http://siliconvalley.town/varian/ http://siliconvalley.town/varian/
- jderick 11y agoI agree it is silly to say a company was built by one man. Shockley was founded in 56, Intel in 68, so not sure if I would call that 'decades', though. I don't think any of the other early SV companies were as successful as Intel either.
- outworlder 11y agoHP was founded in 1939.