Something Ventured

Risk, Reward and the Original Venture Capitalists

2011     1 x 85 min.     Color, B/W: HD     English

Directors
Dayna Goldfine and Dan Geller

Executive Producers
Paul Holland and Molly Davis

Producers
Dayna Goldfine, Dan Geller & Celeste Schaefer Snyder

Produced with support from the Kauffman Foundation. For information on entrepreneurship events that tie-in to the film, please visit: www.kauffman.org

Beginning in the late 1950’s – before the world of finance had a bad name, a small group of visionaries fostered a one-of-a-kind business culture that encouraged extraordinary risk which led to unprecedented rewards.

Cutting edge ideas were nurtured by a new breed of risk takers. These visionaries laid the groundwork for the ‘start-up’ economy, providing not just the working capital but the guidance to help seedling companies reach their full potential, igniting the new world of venture capitalism.

Without the contributions these venture capitalists made to the creation of PCs, the Internet and life-saving drugs, our cultural landscape would be dramatically different.

Something Ventured tells the story of what became the single greatest movement of innovation and economic growth in the 20th century. Among those featured are entrepreneurs such as Tom Perkins, Don Valentine, Arthur Rock and Dick Kramlich who discuss how they incubated start ups and grew them into world class companies such as Intel, Apple, Cisco, Atari, Genentech, Tandem and others that changed our lives forever.

“Documakers Dayna Goldfine and Dan Geller have concocted an entertaining, smartly edited mix of firsthand recollections, illustrative archival footage and photos, and cleverly chosen factoids, all the while sustaining a lively pace throughout several chapters of a fascinating and easily accessible history lesson.” – Variety