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High-tech Ventures: The Guide For Entrepreneurial Success (Hardcover)

by C. Gordon Bell (Author), John E. Mcnamara (Author) "As we move into the 1990s, entrepreneurial self-determination continues to release vast amounts of human energy and drive the formation of "start-up" companies based on..." (more)
Key Phrases: seed stage business plan, technology balance sheet, buying rationale, Cirrus Logic, Sun Microsystems, Bell-Mason Diagnostic (more...)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This book is written primarily for people who are creating the future high-tech world by designing, building, and marketing innovative products. More specifically, it is for all engineers, engineering managers, entrepreneurs and intapreneurs. The book provides insight into the problems entrepreneurs face and gives a model for successful startup companies in a formal checklist.

About the Author

C. Gordon Bell is most recently chief scientist at Stardent Computer, Concord, Massachusetts. He spent 23 years at Digital Equipment Corporation as vice president of research and development, where he managed the engineering of DEC’s products. John E. McNamara is senior hardware engineer at Stratus Computer Incorporated. He has worked on key research and development teams at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory and Digital Equipment Corporation. He has received three U. S. patents and is the author of several other publications on computers. C. Gordon Bell is most recently chief scientist at Stardent Computer, Concord, Massachusetts. He spent 23 years at Digital Equipment Corporation as vice president of research and development, where he managed the engineering of DEC146s products. John E. McNamara is senior hardware engineer at Stratus Computer Incorporated. He has worked on key research and development teams at MIT146s Lincoln Laboratory and Digital Equipment Corporation. He has received three U. S. patents and is the author of several other publications on computers.

Product Details

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Basic Books; illustrated edition edition (July 21, 1991)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0201563215
ISBN-13: 978-0201563214
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #469,306 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
As we move into the 1990s, entrepreneurial self-determination continues to release vast amounts of human energy and drive the formation of "start-up" companies based on a wide variety of technologies and applications. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
seed stage business plan, technology balance sheet, buying rationale, market development stage, new computer class, market calibration, graphics supercomputer, product development stage, twelve dimensions, relational graph, lasting company, seed plan, concept stage, technical advisory board, seed stages, market map, financing rounds

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Cirrus Logic, Sun Microsystems, Bell-Mason Diagnostic, Silicon Graphics, Silicon Valley, United States, Cash Figure, Digital Equipment Corporation, Data General, Design Power, Control Data Corporation, University of Utah, Apple Macintosh, Bill Poduska, Connection Machine, Texas Instruments, University of California, Dragon Systems, Gene Amdahl, Ken Olsen, New England, Ray Kurzweil, Thinking Machines Corporation, Bill Joy, Bob Moore

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 34 books:

A History of Personal Workstations (ACM Press) by Adele Goldberg on 4 pages
In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies (Collins Business Essentials) by Thomas J. Peters in Front Matter, page 27, and Back Matter
The Age of Intelligent Machines by Ray Kurzweil on page 339, page 345, and Back Matter
The mythical man-month and other essays on software engineering by Frederick P Brooks in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
Silicon valley: A novel by Michael Rogers on page 27, and Back Matter

See all 34 books this book cites

6 books cite this book:

Venture Capital Due Diligence: A Guide to Making Smart Investment Choices and Increasing Your Portfolio Returns by Justin J. Camp in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
Engineering Your Start-Up: A Guide for the High-Tech Entrepreneur (2nd Edition) by James A. Swanson in Front Matter, and page 138
Managing Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Technology-Based Firms by Michael J. C. Martin on page 330, and page 331
The Entrepreneurial Engineer: Starting Your Own High-Tech Company (Artech House Technology Management and Professional Development Library) by R. W. Fields in Back Matter
Commercializing New Technologies: Getting from Mind to Market by Vijay K. Jolly in Back Matter

See all 6 books citing this book

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

High Tech Start Up, Revised and Updated by John L. Nesheim

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Technology Ventures by Richard C. Dorf

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The Venture Imperative by Heidi Mason

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Grad Guides Book 3 by Peterson's

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	64% buy the item featured on this page: High-tech Ventures: The Guide For Entrepreneurial Success 4.4 out of 5 stars (7) $30.00
	25% buy Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days (Recipes: a Problem-Solution Ap) 4.6 out of 5 stars (79) $11.69
	12% buy High Tech Start Up, Revised and Updated: The Complete Handbook For Creating Successful New High Tech Companies 4.4 out of 5 stars (53) $31.50

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Customer Reviews

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4.4 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)

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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent analysis and review of hi-tech entrepreneurship, July 13, 1999

By	Dave McClure (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews

Excellent analysis and review of high-tech entrepreneurship and investing, as much from investor and board member point of view as entrepreneur. A reasoned and scientific approach to venture investing and capital financing, and an instructive guide for the entrepreneur from concept development (seed) all the way to mature enterprise / IPO or acquisition. Particular emphasis is placed on describing and modeling the various stages of a high-tech startup. The author introduces the Bell-Mason Diagnostic, a polar graph representing relevant startup metrics & capabilities, which is used to assess the potential of a startup. Note that equal attention is paid to organizational development (people) and market development issues, as well as the sexier topics of finance and technology engineering. Nice to see a balanced presentation that involves more than just a discussion of cash and bits. Only downside is due to the '91 print date, there is no recent commentary on the rash of internet ventures starting around '95 to present day. However, it's still the best book i have read to date on the hi-tech venture. Highly recommended.

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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why don't the VCs read this book?, November 25, 2000

By	J. G. Heiser (Sunninghill, Berks) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Having worked for 4 pre-IPO companies, I've seen a lot of inexperienced entrepeneurs make a lot of ill-advised decisions. Even worse, I've watched their backers blithely sit back and believe that they will become rich on the strength of some new buzzword.

It takes a good plan and better execution to turn a startup into a real company--two things that seem to be lacking in most new ventures.

Gordon Bell has created a complete model for the stages of a startup firm. VCs, executives, and ESPECIALLY potential new hires should use these models to estimate the success factor of a startup. I think the 6 characteristics of a successful high-tech CEO are priceless. Of the duds that I've worked for, none of the CEOs could meet these stringent requirements. Are there many people who do? No. Do most startups fail? Yes. I urge anyone looking to join a startup to get this book, and even if you don't feel inclined to read it through, at least see what Bell has to say about the CEO, and then use his criteria to evaluate the leader at the team you are considering joining.

Another one of his observations that rings true to my experience is the danger of 'multiple agendas.' There is something in the nature of an entrepeneur that seems to make it almost impossible to focus on a single product or niche market, at least until it some measure of market success is achieved. I've fought this battle many times, and I've never understood why the VCs and the Board don't reign in their eager young entrepeneurs. I've concluded that it is because they are often ignorant themselves. Being able to spend somebody else's money doesn't automatically confer wisdom.

This book is almost 10 years old, but many of the author's predictions came true. I think he over-estimated the advantages of Japan, but perhaps American business actually learned something from Japan and applied it. If American management had not done that, perhaps Bell's predictions of Japanese economic superiority would have come to pass also.

I did think that it was interesting to read an engineer's perspective on marketing. An intelligent and experienced person often has wise things to say, even about disciplines where they have no formal educational background. I would strongly urge both marketing and engineering people to approach this text with an open mind.

Overall, this is a wise and perceptive book. It provides a good persective on the high-tech startup phenomenom and anyone who wishes to better understand the internal dynamics of a startup would find this an interesting and rewarding read.

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better read this book before taking your plan to an investor, April 13, 1999

By A Customer

This is a great book for understanding what to do at each stage of a new business. The discussion on "when the CEO gets fired" may be unnerving but its a milestone that often shocks a fledgling organization. Its blunt, down-to-earth style is a good tonic for startups suffering from too much hype and reality distortion. Whether the "several hundred billion dollar computer industry is largely intelligent by 1990 standards" - its prediction for 1999 - is questionable. Its workstation examples may be a bit dated, but the lessons to be learned are fundamental for anyone wanting to run a venture-funded business.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless Advice - Highly Recommended
I read this book years ago shortly after it was first published. I had just worked for a startup which exhibited many of the issues, good and bad, addressed in the book. Read more

Published on April 30, 2004 by J H Murphy

2.0 out of 5 stars Pedantic, Self-Absorbed and a Waste of Money.
This book wasn't very good when it was written a decade ago and age hasn't helped it. The authors attempt to apply a scientific method to their analysis of start-ups and... Read more

Published on July 13, 2003 by hfskdjhfsdjhf

4.0 out of 5 stars Must-have reference guide for every high-tech enterpreneur
After 11 years this book remains a great resource for everyone who evaluates a starup's health or is thinking about starting a business. Read more

Published on August 22, 2002 by Alexis Smirnov

5.0 out of 5 stars A Sacred Text of Entrepreneurship
This is the one book to have if you're starting a company. Theexamples are very dated but the content is timeless - and dead on themoney.

Published on May 18, 2000 by Germain E DeSeve

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