Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • April 2014
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Don Valentine and Sequoia Capital

By: Felda Hardymon, Tom Nicholas and Liz Kind
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:19
ShareBar

Abstract

Don Valentine participated in the beginnings of two significant milestones: the birth of the silicon chip and the development of the venture capital industry. From humble beginnings, Valentine became a legendary salesman at Fairchild Semiconductor and National Semiconductor before founding Sequoia Capital in 1972. Valentine was comfortable making high-risk bets on unknown entrepreneurs in markets where he saw great potential. Unlike other venture capitalists of the time that focused on finding outstanding entrepreneurs or groundbreaking technology, Valentine took a different approach. He focused predominantly on the size of the potential market.

Keywords

Venture Capital; Personal Development and Career; Semiconductor Industry

Citation

Hardymon, Felda, Tom Nicholas, and Liz Kind. "Don Valentine and Sequoia Capital." Harvard Business School Case 814-096, April 2014.
  • Educators
  • Purchase

About The Author

Tom Nicholas

Entrepreneurial Management
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • 2022
    • Faculty Research

    Human Capital and the Managerial Revolution in the United States

    By: Tom Nicholas
    • August 2022
    • Faculty Research

    Air Wars: Deregulating the U.S. Airline Industry

    By: Tom Nicholas and James Weber
    • July 2022
    • Faculty Research

    A Soul and a Service: North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance

    By: Tom Nicholas and John Masko
More from the Authors
  • Human Capital and the Managerial Revolution in the United States By: Tom Nicholas
  • Air Wars: Deregulating the U.S. Airline Industry By: Tom Nicholas and James Weber
  • A Soul and a Service: North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance By: Tom Nicholas and John Masko
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College