Don Valentine founded Sequoia Capital in 1972. Since then, he and his Sequoia Capital Partners have participated in the financing of over 500 technology companies. Don has played a key role in the formation of a number of industries such as semiconductors, personal computers, personal computer software, digital entertainment and networking.
Don was a director of several companies that pioneered several segments of the computer and consumer software industries. These include Atari, which he helped finance in 1974; Apple Computer, to which he contributed start-up financing in 1977; and Electronic Arts, the entertainment software company, which was started in Sequoia’s office in 1982. Since then, Don has been a director of Altos computer, a multi-user systems company acquired by Acer, and Pyramid Technology, a manufacturer of high-end UNIX systems. Today, he is the Chairman of Network Appliance, a supplier of plug and play network file servers.
Don has also been involved with the formation of several major companies in and around the semiconductor business. He organized the start-up financing of LSI Logic, which pioneered the ASIC business. Don was also instrumental in the formation of Linear Technology, the world’s leading independent supplier of analog integrated circuits. Don has also been the chairman of Microchip Technology, the leading independent supplier of programmable 8 bit microcontrollers. Don was the Chairman of C-Cube Microsystems, the leading vendor of MPEG video compression devices, prior to its acquisition by LSI Logic.
In 1987, Sequoia financed Cisco Systems, which has since become the world’s leading manufacturer of internetworking products. Cisco surpassed billion in sales in 2000 and has attained a market value of 0 billion. Don served as the Chairman of Cisco, since Sequoia’s original investment, until 1996, when he became Vice Chairman.
Before starting Sequoia Capital, Don was a founder of National Semiconductor and senior sales and marketing executive with Fairchild Semiconductor. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the San Francisco Symphony, a member of the San Francisco Opera Guild and continues his quest to play every championship gold course in the world.
Sequoia Capital is a billion series of venture capital funds. The partnership invests in all areas of electronics, especially information technology and is equipped to finance every stage of a young company’s growth. Sequoia primarily invests in the seed and start-up financing of early stage companies of the West Coast. These investments range from ,000 to million. Sequoia will also invest between and million in the expansion financings of high quality, rapidly growing companies located in throughout the United States.
