Rise of Startups and Investors

Steve Blank, Stanford University

Retired serial entrepreneur and educator Steve Blank traces the origin of technology startups and venture capital in Silicon Valley. An adjunct professor in Stanford’s School of Engineering, Blank talks about how the very first semiconductor business in the valley spawned 65 other chip companies over the next 20 years. The increased activity and a loosening of financial regulations subsequently led to the birth of venture capital, according to Blank.