Arthur Rock Quotes

Powerful Arthur Rock for Daily Growth

About Arthur Rock

Arthur Rock (1926-2018) was an American venture capitalist, lawyer, and engineer, best known for his role in shaping Silicon Valley during the semiconductor revolution of the mid-20th century. Born on September 3, 1926, in New York City, Rock attended Brown University, where he studied engineering. After serving in the U.S. Army, he earned a law degree from Columbia Law School. In 1957, Rock joined Fairfield & Dornbush, a San Francisco-based law firm that represented several Silicon Valley startups. He became interested in the emerging semiconductor industry and made early investments in companies such as Intel, Fairchild Semiconductor, and National Semiconductor. One of Rock's most significant contributions was coining the term "fabless" to describe companies that design integrated circuits but outsource their manufacturing. This business model would become a cornerstone of Silicon Valley success stories like Broadcom and Qualcomm. Rock's investing philosophy emphasized long-term relationships with entrepreneurs and a focus on technology development rather than short-term financial gains. He was a mentor to many successful tech leaders, including Intel co-founder Gordon Moore. In 1968, Rock co-founded Arthur Rock & Co., a venture capital firm that focused on the semiconductor and computer industries. The firm invested in numerous successful startups, including Cisco Systems and Sun Microsystems. Throughout his career, Rock remained active in various professional organizations, including the National Venture Capital Association and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He was also a recipient of the IEEE Founders Medal for his contributions to engineering and technology. Arthur Rock's impact on the tech industry and Silicon Valley cannot be overstated. His innovative strategies, investing philosophy, and mentorship have shaped the landscape of modern technology.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The art ofprospecting for new companies is to find an area that's going to be of large market size in the future and then bet on the company or companies that can exploit it."

This quote suggests a strategy for identifying and investing in promising startups. The key is to focus on industries or markets with significant growth potential in the future, rather than relying solely on current trends. Once an area of large market size has been identified, the investor then places bets (invests) in companies that are well-positioned to capitalize on this growth through their unique offerings or advantages. Essentially, it's about anticipating and backing the companies poised to dominate tomorrow's markets today.


"In venture capital, you don't make money when you invest. You make money when you realize your investment."

Arthur Rock's quote suggests that in the world of venture capital, returns are not generated through the initial investment but rather during the eventual liquidation or "realization" of that investment. This implies that a successful venture capitalist must be patient, as the process of realizing an investment can take years and involves waiting for the startup or company to mature and become profitable enough to provide a return on investment (ROI). The quote highlights the importance of strategic decision-making in selecting promising startups, as well as timing and execution in realizing these investments.


"There are three kinds of capital – debt, equity, and human capital – but only one of them is truly irreplaceable."

Arthur Rock's quote emphasizes that among the three types of capital – debt (financial obligations), equity (stocks or shares), and human capital (knowledge, skills, competencies, and creativity possessed by individuals) – it's human capital that is unique and irreplaceable. Unlike financial capital which can be replenished through borrowing, saving, or investment, the knowledge, skills, and creativity of individuals cannot be easily replicated or substituted. Therefore, investing in the development and retention of human capital is crucial for long-term success and sustainability.


"The best way to predict the future is to create it."

This quote by Arthur Rock implies that rather than trying to foresee or anticipate the future, one should actively shape it through their actions and decisions. It suggests that having control over our own destiny lies in our ability to be proactive, innovative, and creative – essentially, to make the future we want to see instead of merely reacting to it as it unfolds. In essence, this quote emphasizes the power individuals have in shaping their own future by taking actions today.


"If you're in a high-growth company, then cash is king. Cash flow is more important than profits."

This quote emphasizes that for rapidly growing companies, cash management is paramount. While profits are an essential measure of success, they may not be immediately available as cash, especially during growth phases when expenses often outpace revenue inflows. Cash flow, however, indicates a company's ability to meet its financial obligations and fund its operations and expansion. In other words, even if a business is profitable on paper, it can still face difficulties if it doesn't have the liquid cash to cover its immediate needs. Therefore, focusing on cash flow becomes crucial in high-growth environments.


And then lo and behold IBM, Apple and Motorola took an ad in all the newspapers, double page ad, and said, announcing the chip that they were now able to manufacture it and that they were going to kill Intel.

- Arthur Rock

Took, Chip, Ad, Behold

And what I'm interested in is investing in people.

- Arthur Rock

People, Interested, Investing

And we invested three hundred thousand dollars, became the lead investor and I became Chairman of the Board of Scientific Data Systems, as I was at Intel for a while.

- Arthur Rock

Data, Became, Hundred, Board

Killing Intel, I, I just had to resign from the Apple Board.

- Arthur Rock

Apple, Had, Intel, Board

So I, I knew something in a business sense about semiconductors and I appreciated their possibilities.

- Arthur Rock

Business, Possibilities, Business Sense

People come in with business plans and, I mean I know that no one is going to meet everything they say in a business plan but you got to have something to, to guide towards.

- Arthur Rock

Business, Going, Come, Guide

IBM decided they were going to enter the copying business in 1968.

- Arthur Rock

Business, IBM, Decided, Copying

I was one of the founders in, in that, the three of us all had the, had the founder's stock.

- Arthur Rock

Founder, Founders, Had, Stock

I mean I wasn't a founder in the sense that I contributed anything scientifically but in the sense that I signed the corporation papers and, and owned founder's stock.

- Arthur Rock

Corporation, Founder, Signed, Stock

Which, the first meeting with anybody is, you know, everybody is on their best behavior. It's only after you get to know them for a while that you figure out.

- Arthur Rock

Everybody, Which, Figure, Meeting

I think they, Peter McCullough was, turns out was not a good CEO.

- Arthur Rock

Think, CEO, I Think, Peter

My father was an immigrant from Russia and my mother was first generation.

- Arthur Rock

Mother, Generation, Russia, Immigrant

Well, I was born and raised in Rochester, New York.

- Arthur Rock

New York, New, I Was Born, Rochester

You know, a lot of people are just interested in, in building a company so they can make money and get out.

- Arthur Rock

Building, People, Out, Money

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