Something Ventured – A Documentary on the Creation of the Venture Capital Industry

February 7, 2012

On February 8, from 4-6 p.m. at the Ross School of Business, the Zell Lurie Institute will host ‘Something Ventured’ – an 85 minute documentary that tells the story of the creation of the Venture Capital industry and how it became 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 entrepreneurs sharing how they worked with these venture capitalists to grow world-class companies like Intel, Apple, Cisco, Atari, Genentech, Tandem and others.

It also offers a peek into a lighter side of the business, including: the famous entrepreneur who decided not to buy a third of Apple for $50,000 in 1977; venture capitalist Arthur Rock raising $3 million to start Intel with just a one-page, typo-filled business plan; and the first genetically engineered bacteria being transported from Los Angeles to San Francisco in a Genentech investor’s pocket.

Refreshments will be served following the movie and the event is sponsored by Jaffe Raitt Heuer and Weiss and the Michigan Venture Capital Association. This film will not be shown in theaters. Public welcome.