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Startups & Venture·September 30, 2026·1 min read

Pioneering Silicon Valley VC Bill Draper died on September 8 at age 98; he began investing in the 1960s, with successful bets like Activision, Skype, and Qume

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Draper's run from the 1960s through bets like Activision and Skype is a reminder that durable venture impact comes from backing new distribution and interaction models, not just faster chips. For founders, the lesson is simple: frame your pitch around how behavior and markets change over decades, not just what the tech can do this year.