Creating Exponential Impact in Silicon Valley

One idea, combined with the entrepreneurial spirit of founders, venture capitalists, influencers, and changemakers, can create a billion devices, generate a billion dollars, or touch a billion people. The exponential power of innovation combined with entrepreneurship surrounds us: one set of Fairchild notebooks catalyzed the creation of semiconductor chips that power billions of devices; one business plan turned into Apple, a $500 billion company that has sold more than one billion devices; one person’s quest to lose weight created a community that has made a mark on the $55 billion digital health market.

How did the stars of these exponential stories fare in the face of risk and reward? How do pioneering entrepreneurs develop their vision? What are the roles of hard work and luck? How do innovators collaborate with Valley venture investors and other experts to navigate uncharted waters? What difficult decisions yield the greatest impact?

Join us for three panel discussions to celebrate the launch of the Computer History Museum’s Exponential Center, an exciting new center focused on innovation and entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley and around the world. These conversations provide a window into Silicon Valley from pioneers at crucial junctures―the birth of Fairchild, Intel and the semiconductor industry in the 1960s, the shaping of Apple’s and Intel’s first products in the 1980s, and the recent rise of digital health.

Session I
Fairchild Semiconductor Co-founder Jay Last joins the Museum’s Center for Software History Director David Brock to discuss the birth and rise of silicon technology, with video commentary from Fairchild and Intel Co-founder Gordon Moore.

Session II
Marketing trailblazer Regis McKenna teams with Exponential Center Executive Director Marguerite Gong Hancock to discuss the evolution of tech innovation and marketing, from Apple and Intel to today’s big data environment.

Session III
Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers (KPCB) Chair John Doerr leads a conversation with MyFitnessPal Co-founders Mike Lee and Albert Lee about the dynamic between entrepreneur and investor through periods of growth and change.

This event is a part of the Computer History Museum's new center on entrepreneurship and innovation, the Exponential Center. The Exponential Center at the Computer History Museum is capturing the legacy—and advancing the future—of entrepreneurship and innovation in Silicon Valley and around the world. The center explores the people, companies, and communities that are transforming the human experience through technology innovation, economic value creation, and social impact. The center’s work focuses on five integrated initiatives: collections and exhibitions, research and insights, education, events, and thought leadership.