SOMETHING VENTURED

SOMETHING VENTURED tells the story of a handful of professionals who alongside visionary entrepreneurs created these revolutionary companies that laid the foundation for the great success of Silicon Valley. In the process they ignited the industry known as venture capital.

Watch to see how Jimmy Treybig created Tandem and became one of the major companies fueling the success of Silicon valley.

EARLY SILICON VALLEY
1966-1973

“My first job after graduating with an EE degree from Rice was a job as a salesman for Texas Instruments and then I received an MBA from Stanford. Then I joined Hewlett Packard while their first computer was being designed.

I held the job of Marketing Manager of the Mt. View Div. and then Marketing Manager for Commercial Systems as HP grew from $0 to $ 300 million in Revenue. I loved HP, learned a huge amount, and was certainly impacted by Bill Hewlett and his people ideas, for which he was famous.”

Photo of Jimmy Treybig & Dick Hanson and during their tenure at HP

HP/Tandem User Group, Love Note Speech 2013

From the first Kleiner Perkins brochure

Snow Job (a Kleiner Perkins Investment)

“I left HP in 1970 to join the new Kleiner $ Perkins (today Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield, and Byers), which became one of the most successful VC firms in the past 45 years. I was one of 4 professionals. The new VC firm only had an 8 million dollar fund Tandem & Genentech were major winners of the new fund”

“Tandem was a huge risk for Kleiner Perkins. If Tandem had failed there would have never been a second Kleiner Perkins fund”

— Tom Perkins, Something Ventured

1974-1996

Jimmy founded Tandem Computers, Inc. in 1974 and remained CEO until 1996. Tandem was the dominant manufacturer of fault-tolerant computer systems for ATM networks, banks, stock exchanges, telephone switching centers, and other similar commercial transaction processing applications requiring maximum uptime and zero data loss. Tandem is now part of the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Division.

Achieved Over 2.5 Billlion in Revenue

Held numerous Fundamental Patents

Joined the Fortune 500 in 1984

90% of ATMs & Stock Exchanges
still use Tandem’s technology

INC Fastest Growing Company, June 1981

#1 in Computer Industry Customer Satisfaction

Named Best Company to Work For Numerous Times

Anti-Defamation League of B’Nai B’Rith
For outstanding service as a member of the community

“In 1974 I left Kleiner & Perkins and founded Tandem Computers. One of my proudest accomplishments besides the technical and business success was the very strong corporate culture which still exists today.”

“Our success in a large part was due to the culture and focus on people including:

1. Employee shared in the success including every employee had stock options, a 6 week sabbatical, and had an equal chance of a reward trip with their spouse/loved one/friend

2. Strong communication of company strategy and operations to all employees and innovative communication methods. Examples include, a privately owned TV network (won Oscars), email for everyone with any to any communication (unique at time), and Friday beer/coffee busts

3. Programs and process to support employee
empowerment and self management

4. Focus on employment contribution independent of race, gender, and sexual orientation (in the early 70s)

Upside Magazine
100 People Who Changed the World

Stanford University
1980 Entrepreneur of the Year

Harvard University
1981 Entrepreneur of the Year

“In 1996 I moved to Austin, Texas and first joined VC firm Austin Ventures as a Venture Partner and then NEA in 2002 as the same. Today I serve on the boards of Illumitex, Tabbed Out, eRelavance, and Seton Health Care Network.”

NEA is one of the world’s largest and most active venture capital firms, and has more than $18 billion in assets under management across 15 funds, including a $3.1 billion fifteenth fund closed in 2015.

women@austin
2014 Elevate Award

Austin Business Journal
2012 Best CEO Award

Ernst & Young
2008 Supporter of Entrepreneurship Award

The Silicon Valley Forum
2002 Visionary Award

Previous Board & Investment Involvement

“I am looking for venture investments in Austin. I love supporting mgmt, sitting on boards, working on strategy, creating success. & being a part of the entrepreneurial spirit.“

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My hobbies include Ham Radio for 55 years (see EME Antenna for bouncing signals off moon) and I still play & win in Racket Ball Tournaments.

EDUCATION

Since attending Rice University and receiving a BA and BSEE, Jimmy has continued to be very involved in mentorship and career building within the university. He was honored as a Distinguished Alumni in 1989.

Jimmy Treybig on Success
by Aruni Gunasegaram & Pam Losefsky, Rice Magazine, Fall 2006

Jimmy earned his MBA from Stanford University in 1968. He was honored as their Entrepreneur of the Year in 1980.

I am currently a venture partner with
New Enterprise Associates (NEA)

My career revolves around the founding
and dynamic growth of Silicon Valley.

HP Computers, Kleiner, Perkins (Caufield & Byers) and Tandem Computers were major contributors to Silicon Valley...and I was fortunate to be involved in the beginning of all three.

I am currently a venture partner with
New Enterprise Associates (NEA)

My career revolves around the founding
and dynamic growth of Silicon Valley.

HP Computers, Kleiner, Perkins (Caufield & Byers) and Tandem Computers were major contributors to Silicon Valley...and I was fortunate to be involved in the beginning of all three.

SOMETHING VENTURED

EARLY SILICON VALLEY
1966-1973

“My first job after graduating with an EE degree from Rice was a job as a salesman for Texas Instruments and then I received an MBA from Stanford. Then I joined Hewlett Packard while their first computer was being designed.

I held the job of Marketing Manager of the Mt. View Div. and then Marketing Manager for Commercial Systems as HP grew from $0 to $ 300 million in Revenue. I loved HP, learned a huge amount, and was certainly impacted by Bill Hewlett and his people ideas, for which he was famous.”

“Tandem was a huge risk for Kleiner Perkins. If Tandem had failed there would have never been a second Kleiner Perkins fund”

— Tom Perkins, Something Ventured

1974-1996

“In 1974 I left Kleiner & Perkins and founded Tandem Computers. One of my proudest accomplishments besides the technical and business success was the very strong corporate culture which still exists today.”

“Our success in a large part was due to the culture and focus on people including:

1. Employee shared in the success including every employee had stock options, a 6 week sabbatical, and had an equal chance of a reward trip with their spouse/loved one/friend

2. Strong communication of company strategy and operations to all employees and innovative communication methods. Examples include, a privately owned TV network (won Oscars), email for everyone with any to any communication (unique at time), and Friday beer/coffee busts

3. Programs and process to support employee
empowerment and self management

4. Focus on employment contribution independent of race, gender, and sexual orientation (in the early 70s)

“In 1996 I moved to Austin, Texas and first joined VC firm Austin Ventures as a Venture Partner and then NEA in 2002 as the same. Today I serve on the boards of Illumitex, Tabbed Out, eRelavance, and Seton Health Care Network.”

Previous Board & Investment Involvement

“I am looking for venture investments in Austin. I love supporting mgmt, sitting on boards, working on strategy, creating success. & being a part of the entrepreneurial spirit.“

EDUCATION

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? CONTACT ME!

Address: Austin, TX | E-mail: jimmy@treybig.com | Website: www.treybig.com

I am currently a venture partner with New Enterprise Associates (NEA)

My career revolves around the founding and dynamic growth of Silicon Valley.

HP Computers, Kleiner, Perkins (Caufield & Byers) and Tandem Computers were major contributors to Silicon Valley...and I was fortunate to be involved in the beginning of all three.

I am currently a venture partner with New Enterprise Associates (NEA)

My career revolves around the founding and dynamic growth of Silicon Valley.

HP Computers, Kleiner, Perkins (Caufield & Byers) and Tandem Computers were major contributors to Silicon Valley...and I was fortunate to be involved in the beginning of all three.

SOMETHING VENTURED

EARLY SILICON VALLEY 1966-1973

“My first job after graduating with an EE degree from Rice was a job as a salesman for Texas Instruments and then I received an MBA from Stanford. Then I joined Hewlett Packard while their first computer was being designed.

I held the job of Marketing Manager of the Mt. View Div. and then Marketing Manager for Commercial Systems as HP grew from $0 to $ 300 million in Revenue. I loved HP, learned a huge amount, and was certainly impacted by Bill Hewlett and his people ideas, for which he was famous.”

“Tandem was a huge risk for Kleiner Perkins. If Tandem had failed there would have never been a second Kleiner Perkins fund”

— Tom Perkins, Something Ventured

1974-1996

“In 1974 I left Kleiner & Perkins and founded Tandem Computers. One of my proudest accomplishments besides the technical and business success was the very strong corporate culture which still exists today.”

“Our success in a large part was due to the culture and focus on people including:

1. Employee shared in the success including every employee had stock options, a 6 week sabbatical, and had an equal chance of a reward trip with their spouse/loved one/friend

2. Strong communication of company strategy and operations to all employees and innovative communication methods. Examples include, a privately owned TV network (won Oscars), email for everyone with any to any communication (unique at time), and Friday beer/coffee busts

3. Programs and process to support employee empowerment and self management

4. Focus on employment contribution independent of race, gender, and sexual orientation (in the early 70s)

“In 1996 I moved to Austin, Texas and first joined VC firm Austin Ventures as a Venture Partner and then NEA in 2002 as the same. Today I serve on the boards of Illumitex, Tabbed Out, eRelavance, and Seton Health Care Network.”

Previous Board & Investment Involvement

“I am looking for venture investments in Austin. I love supporting mgmt, sitting on boards, working on strategy, creating success. & being a part of the entrepreneurial spirit.“

EDUCATION

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? CONTACT ME!

Address: Austin, TX | E-mail: jimmy@treybig.com | Website: www.treybig.com

I am currently a venture partner with
New Enterprise Associates (NEA)

My career revolves around the founding
and dynamic growth of Silicon Valley.

I am currently a venture partner with
New Enterprise Associates (NEA)

My career revolves around the founding
and dynamic growth of Silicon Valley.

EARLY SILICON VALLEY
1966-1973

3. Programs and process to support employee
empowerment and self management