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The Secret History of Silicon Valley 12: The Rise of “Risk Capital.

Steve Blank

Ampex’s first customer was Bing Crosby who wanted to record his radio programs for rebroadcast (and had exclusive distribution rights.) The Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Act in 1958 guaranteed that for every dollar a bank or financial institution invested in a new company, the U.S. In response, one of the many U.S.