Interviewed by Steve Smith on 2014-11-11 in Mountain View, California, X7274.2015
© Computer History Museum

Founders of Silicon Valley Bank tell why and how they started a bank that changed the world for entrepreneurial companies.

Roger Smith, Bob Medearis, and Bill Biggerstaff (1919–2010) came together in the early 1980s around the idea of creating a commercial bank that would be designed to gather deposits and lend money to early stage venture backed companies to support their growth. The bank they created added greatly to the financing opportunities for these companies. In turn, this financing helped to stimulate the remarkable explosion of successful new companies in Silicon Valley. Roger and Bob tell their personal story as well as the struggles and successes they encountered in the first 10 years of building this remarkable banking institution.

* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information – http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102739977

Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories/ for more information about the Computer History Museum’s Oral History Collection.

Lot Number: X7274.2015
Catalog Number: 102739977

Silicon Valley Bank (Business Operation),Valley,California,History,Computer History Museum (Museum),Oral History,Innovation,Venture Capital (Industry),Entrepreneurship (Field Of Study)