Don Valentine, founder of Sequoia Capital, dies at 87
Don Valentine, founder of Sequoia, RIP Dave Morin / @davemorin : He created something that inspires entrepreneurs to both change the world and to achieve their potential. And, I have always loved his key question to a new startup: “Who cares?” He was a true original. RIP http://seq.vc/... Michael Jordaan / @michaeljordaan : Legend. Privileged to have once met Valentine in the Sequia lobby. He told me that the air in South Africa must be special, judging by the people he met from there. https://twitter.com/... Farooq Butt / @fmbutt : I agree completely that this is how tech is incubated & thrives initially: quirky individuals left alone to tinker, invent & be themselves. Unfortunately we tend to miss the part when said individuals become incredibly powerful, rich and influential & how we deal with that. https://twitter.com/... Vani Kola / @vanikola : Back from my Valley days, Don Valentine was someone who I deeply respected for developing a reputed VC firm and moreover making it a world class institution. Heartfelt condolences to Don's family, friends and Team @sequoia. May his soul rest in peace! https://www.sequoiacap.com/... Aubrey Blanche / @adblanche : This is true as long as your different isn't female, Black or brown, disabled, etc. https://twitter.com/... Shawn Carolan / @shawnvc : During VC interviews in 2001, Don asked me the single best question “how are you going to save us time and make us money?”. His focus on the essential shined through in his manner, and Sequoia's culture that has been an inspiration for what a well run fund looks like. Thanks Don. https://twitter.com/... Sundar Pichai / @sundarpichai : Don's impact on the beginnings of Silicon Valley and the entire tech industry will not be soon forgotten. Thoughts are with his family and the entire Sequoia team. May he rest in peace. https://www.sequoiacap.com/... Roelof Botha / @roelofbotha : Rest in peace, Don Valentine. You were a legend and an inspiration. https://www.sequoiacap.com/... Ric Fulop / @ricfulop : I remember meeting Don in 2001. I was only 26. He made a striking impression. I have always been proud to have had sequoia as an investor in one of my cos. The industry has lost a luminary. He had one of the the best investing styles: back people and markets. https://twitter.com/... @om : Don Valentine, RIP, a guiding light who put silicon in Silicon Valley. I had the honor of spending time with Mr. Valentine and learned from him. Thank you for helping create this ecosystem that we call home now. https://www.sequoiacap.com/... David Marcus / @davidmarcus : Silicon Valley lost one of its legends today. A true trailblazer throughout some of the most formative years of our hotbed of creativity and entrepreneurship. RIP Don Valentine. https://twitter.com/... Mike Maples / @m2jr : A Giant of Silicon Valley....and someone I found to be extremely gracious. Rest in Peace, Mr. Valentine https://twitter.com/... Niki Scevak / @nikiscevak : RIP for one of the pioneers of an industry. “Ever curious he relished spending time with young people brimming with ideas about the future.” https://www.sequoiacap.com/... Chuck Robbins / @chuckrobbins : We are all so saddened to hear of Don Valentine's passing. As one of the early believers in @Cisco, Don knew what could become possible through the power of connection and that legacy of his lives on today in all that we do. https://twitter.com/... Mike Vernal / @mvernal : A true legend (and a great storyteller). RIP. https://twitter.com/... Sheel Mohnot / @pitdesi : RIP Don; many of us owe a lot to this man. His vision is a big part of the reason why our industry exists. It's a good time to listen to this podcast to learn his background and the early years at Sequoia. https://www.acquired.fm/... https://twitter.com/... Ron Conway / @ronconway : His legacy will live on forever in the amazing Sequoia brand he built brick by brick. I will cherish the lunch we had together 10 days ago reminiscing about his accomplishments to the ecosystem of silicon valley that are immeasurable. https://www.sequoiacap.com/... Charles Hoskinson / @iohk_charles : Don was a legend and one of the greatest technology investors in history https://www.sequoiacap.com/... RIP you left behind a sequoia rivaling any tree in the forest Karri Saarinen / @karrisaarinen : “The product is often a dream from the founders. It can't be easily tested with market surveys”. RIP Don https://twitter.com/... @amysundae : RIP Don. Your impact on technology will be as lasting as the giant sequoia groves. Thank you for reminding us of the importance of teamwork, performance, and dreaming bigger. I will forever be thankful to have met you and for the opportunity to be a part of Sequoia Capital. https://twitter.com/... Tom Cole / @tom_cole : Auspicious start marked the other bookend of his incredible venture career: Don's initial 1974 vintage fund of $3M invested in Atari and Apple, and he served on both company's boards. https://twitter.com/... Michael Arrington / @arrington : A legend passes. RIP. I'm so glad I was able to meet him and hear some of his stories. https://twitter.com/... Dan Primack / @danprimack : Don Valentine, founder of Sequoia Capital, has died. His early bets included Apple, Atari, Cisco, and Oracle. One of the true legends of Silicon Valley. https://www.axios.com/... @santhoshguru : It's pure happenstance that I listened to the awesome episode about @sequoia's history and Don Valentine in @AcquiredFM and now I hear this news. RIP, the legend, Don Valentine .🙏🙏🙏 https://www.acquired.fm/... Alex Konrad / @alexrkonrad : One of venture capital's and Silicon Valley's founding giants has passed away. https://twitter.com/... Andrew Reed / @andrew__reed : Don Valentine - an entrepreneur, pioneer, leader, and legend. Eternally grateful. https://twitter.com/... Sameer Patel / @sameerpatel : “Don established Capital Management Services which formed its first $3 million venture capital fund in 1974. ” > @Sequoia - Remembering Don Valentine https://www.sequoiacap.com/... Mike Dudas / @mdudas : @semil Were there a lot of other funds that failed around that time? Eg, Sequoia was the outlier in a sea of funds? Or did Don Valentine truly pioneer a new way of investing? @semil : Don Valentine's first fund was $3M in 1974, invested in Atari & Apple. That fund gave birth to Sequoia Capital.
We are deeply saddened to share that our founder Don Valentine has passed away. Our thoughts are with his family and with all those inspired by his pioneering vision and indelible impact. https://seq.vc/... https://twitter.com/...
“The world of technology thrives best when individuals are left alone to be different, creative, and disobedient.” —Don Valentine, founder of Sequoia, RIP
He created something that inspires entrepreneurs to both change the world and to achieve their potential. And, I have always loved his key question to a new startup: “Who cares?” He was a true original. RIP http://seq.vc/...
Legend. Privileged to have once met Valentine in the Sequia lobby. He told me that the air in South Africa must be special, judging by the people he met from there. https://twitter.com/...
I agree completely that this is how tech is incubated & thrives initially: quirky individuals left alone to tinker, invent & be themselves. Unfortunately we tend to miss the part when said individuals become incredibly powerful, rich and influential & how we deal with that. https…
Back from my Valley days, Don Valentine was someone who I deeply respected for developing a reputed VC firm and moreover making it a world class institution. Heartfelt condolences to Don's family, friends and Team @sequoia. May his soul rest in peace! https://www.sequoiacap.com/.…
During VC interviews in 2001, Don asked me the single best question “how are you going to save us time and make us money?”. His focus on the essential shined through in his manner, and Sequoia's culture that has been an inspiration for what a well run fund looks like. Thanks Don.…
Don's impact on the beginnings of Silicon Valley and the entire tech industry will not be soon forgotten. Thoughts are with his family and the entire Sequoia team. May he rest in peace. https://www.sequoiacap.com/...
I remember meeting Don in 2001. I was only 26. He made a striking impression. I have always been proud to have had sequoia as an investor in one of my cos. The industry has lost a luminary. He had one of the the best investing styles: back people and markets. https://twitter.com/…
Don Valentine, RIP, a guiding light who put silicon in Silicon Valley. I had the honor of spending time with Mr. Valentine and learned from him. Thank you for helping create this ecosystem that we call home now. https://www.sequoiacap.com/...
Silicon Valley lost one of its legends today. A true trailblazer throughout some of the most formative years of our hotbed of creativity and entrepreneurship. RIP Don Valentine. https://twitter.com/...
RIP for one of the pioneers of an industry. “Ever curious he relished spending time with young people brimming with ideas about the future.” https://www.sequoiacap.com/...
We are all so saddened to hear of Don Valentine's passing. As one of the early believers in @Cisco, Don knew what could become possible through the power of connection and that legacy of his lives on today in all that we do. https://twitter.com/...
RIP Don; many of us owe a lot to this man. His vision is a big part of the reason why our industry exists. It's a good time to listen to this podcast to learn his background and the early years at Sequoia. https://www.acquired.fm/... https://twitter.com/...
His legacy will live on forever in the amazing Sequoia brand he built brick by brick. I will cherish the lunch we had together 10 days ago reminiscing about his accomplishments to the ecosystem of silicon valley that are immeasurable. https://www.sequoiacap.com/...
Don was a legend and one of the greatest technology investors in history https://www.sequoiacap.com/... RIP you left behind a sequoia rivaling any tree in the forest
RIP Don. Your impact on technology will be as lasting as the giant sequoia groves. Thank you for reminding us of the importance of teamwork, performance, and dreaming bigger. I will forever be thankful to have met you and for the opportunity to be a part of Sequoia Capital. https…
Auspicious start marked the other bookend of his incredible venture career: Don's initial 1974 vintage fund of $3M invested in Atari and Apple, and he served on both company's boards. https://twitter.com/...
Don Valentine, founder of Sequoia Capital, has died. His early bets included Apple, Atari, Cisco, and Oracle. One of the true legends of Silicon Valley. https://www.axios.com/...
It's pure happenstance that I listened to the awesome episode about @sequoia's history and Don Valentine in @AcquiredFM and now I hear this news. RIP, the legend, Don Valentine .🙏🙏🙏 https://www.acquired.fm/...
“Don established Capital Management Services which formed its first $3 million venture capital fund in 1974. ” > @Sequoia - Remembering Don Valentine https://www.sequoiacap.com/...
@semil Were there a lot of other funds that failed around that time? Eg, Sequoia was the outlier in a sea of funds? Or did Don Valentine truly pioneer a new way of investing?