Overview

We once idolized tech entrepreneurs for creating innovations that seemed like modern miracles. Yet our faith has been shattered. We now blame them for spreading lies, breaking laws, and causing chaos. Yesterday's Silicon Valley darlings have become today's Big Tech villains. Which is it? Are they superheroes or scoundrels? Or is it more complicated, some blend of both? In The Venture Alchemists, Rob Lalka demystifies how tech entrepreneurs built empires that made trillions. Meta started as a cruel Halloween prank, Alphabet began as a master's thesis that warned against corporate deception, and Palantir came from a campus controversy over hateful speech. These largely forgotten origin stories show how ordinary fears and youthful ambitions shaped their ventures-making each tech tale relatable, both wonderfully and tragically human. Readers learn about the adversities tech entrepreneurs overcame, the troubling tradeoffs they made, and the tremendous power they now wield. Using leaked documents and previously unpublished archival material, Lalka takes readers inside Big Tech's worst exploitations and abuses, alongside many good intentions and moral compromises. But this story remains unfinished, and The Venture Alchemists ultimately offers hope from the people who, decades ago, warned about the risks of the emerging Internet. Their insights illuminate a path toward more responsible innovations, so that technologies aren't dangerous weapons but valuable tools that ensure progress, improve society, and enhance our daily lives.

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9780231210263

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Reviews

"This masterfully researched book reveals the all-too-human origins of today's tech titans. Rob Lalka transports us to the dorm room debates, campus lab breakthroughs, and free speech controversies where iconic companies like Facebook, Google, PayPal, and Palantir first emerged. Lalka traces the ambitions, adversities, and compromises that transformed young innovators into billionaires; here, the companies are vivid characters, and the entrepreneurs are real people, flaws and all. -- Walter Isaacson, National Humanities Medalist and author of <i>Elon Musk</i> and <i>Steve Jobs</i> Rob Lalka has written a provocative, deeply researched book that is frankly jaw-dropping in places. It is bound to be contested, but it is not mean-spirited; on the contrary, it is fuel for debates this country simply has to have. -- Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO, New America The Venture Alchemists provides a unique and searing perspective on the growth-at-all-costs mindset that fueled the tech industry and prompted a struggle between power and social responsibility. Rob Lalka brilliantly articulates that tech has the potential to both uplift and unsettle and correctly posits changing the narrative from ‘could we do this’ to ‘should we do this’ – a question all the more relevant as we move further into the world of AI. -- Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director, Anti-Defamation League This book demonstrates an inescapable truth: that technology is a reflection of the people who design and build it. Their values are embedded in the fabric of the products and companies they create — and without even realizing it, their values become our values. -- Emily Tavoulareas, Managing Chair, Georgetown’s Tech & Society Initiative With this work, Rob Lalka urges us to live up to our creed and calls out those who have failed to. In an age where aspiring technologists, startup founders, and venture capitalists are enamored with the tech bros of Silicon Valley, it is very important that we ensure that the realities of their evolution, from problem solvers to power seekers by any means necessary, is researched and recognized. Doing so is existential to our survival and ability to access opportunity equitably. Lalka has done the homework for us. It is now up to us to study this text, then act on it. -- Rodney Sampson, Executive Chairman and CEO, Opportunity Hub, and Nonresident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution The Venture Alchemists dispels the myths that have clouded our understanding of technology's true impacts. After reading this book, you will no longer think that ""technology is neutral,"" because people build technology and technology shapes our lives. In an era of rising polarization, inequality, and uncertainty, this book offers a fresh perspective and call to action. It challenges blind hero worship of modern entrepreneurs, urges all of us to reclaim our seat at the decision-making table, and reminds us of our agency in creating genuinely awe-inspiring new technologies that serve our democracies and communities, and not the other way around. -- Rose Jackson, Director of the Democracy + Tech Initiative, The Atlantic Council Rob Lalka’s masterful storytelling unveils the inner workings of tech giants, human struggles, and ethical dilemmas. Beyond its gripping narrative lies a timely reflection on the importance of understanding the impact of technology, the value of personal data agency, and the urgent need for action from leaders and citizens alike. The Venture Alchemists is not just a story; it is a rallying cry to move beyond our current age of digital feudalism. -- Tomicah Tillemann, President, Project Liberty An ambitious business history book, ‘The Venture Alchemists’ chronicles how tech entrepreneurs amassed power and political influence. Grounded in thorough research, this expansive book goes beyond the familiar founding myths to lay out lesser-known details. With thoughts on their companies’ ramifications on society, [this book] is an illuminating insider’s view of how Silicon Valley CEOs and venture capitalists rose to power. * Foreword Reviews * Rob [Lalka] uses storytelling to illuminate the influences, insights, ambitions, and choices of the founders of some of the most highly-valued tech companies in America. I was, at once, gobsmacked by the revelations and awestruck by the rigor of [Lalka’s] research. This must-read book will jolt you. * How CMOs Commit with Margaret Molloy *"

This masterfully researched book reveals the all-too-human origins of today's tech titans. Rob Lalka transports us to the dorm room debates, campus lab breakthroughs, and free speech controversies where iconic companies like Facebook, Google, PayPal, and Palantir first emerged. Lalka traces the ambitions, adversities, and compromises that transformed young innovators into billionaires; here, the companies are vivid characters, and the entrepreneurs are real people, flaws and all. -- Walter Isaacson, National Humanities Medalist and author of <i>Elon Musk</i> and <i>Steve Jobs</i>

"This masterfully researched book reveals the all-too-human origins of today's tech titans. Rob Lalka transports us to the dorm room debates, campus lab breakthroughs, and free speech controversies where iconic companies like Facebook, Google, PayPal, and Palantir first emerged. Lalka traces the ambitions, adversities, and compromises that transformed young innovators into billionaires; here, the companies are vivid characters, and the entrepreneurs are real people, flaws and all. -- Walter Isaacson, National Humanities Medalist and author of <i>Elon Musk</i> and <i>Steve Jobs</i> Rob Lalka has written a provocative, deeply researched book that is frankly jaw-dropping in places. It is bound to be contested, but it is not mean-spirited; on the contrary, it is fuel for debates this country simply has to have. -- Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO, New America The Venture Alchemists provides a unique and searing perspective on the growth-at-all-costs mindset that fueled the tech industry and prompted a struggle between power and social responsibility. Rob Lalka brilliantly articulates that tech has the potential to both uplift and unsettle and correctly posits changing the narrative from ‘could we do this’ to ‘should we do this’ – a question all the more relevant as we move further into the world of AI. -- Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director, Anti-Defamation League This book demonstrates an inescapable truth: that technology is a reflection of the people who design and build it. Their values are embedded in the fabric of the products and companies they create — and without even realizing it, their values become our values. -- Emily Tavoulareas, Managing Chair, Georgetown’s Tech & Society Initiative With this work, Rob Lalka urges us to live up to our creed and calls out those who have failed to. In an age where aspiring technologists, startup founders, and venture capitalists are enamored with the tech bros of Silicon Valley, it is very important that we ensure that the realities of their evolution, from problem solvers to power seekers by any means necessary, is researched and recognized. Doing so is existential to our survival and ability to access opportunity equitably. Lalka has done the homework for us. It is now up to us to study this text, then act on it. -- Rodney Sampson, Executive Chairman and CEO, Opportunity Hub, and Nonresident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution The Venture Alchemists dispels the myths that have clouded our understanding of technology's true impacts. After reading this book, you will no longer think that ""technology is neutral,"" because people build technology and technology shapes our lives. In an era of rising polarization, inequality, and uncertainty, this book offers a fresh perspective and call to action. It challenges blind hero worship of modern entrepreneurs, urges all of us to reclaim our seat at the decision-making table, and reminds us of our agency in creating genuinely awe-inspiring new technologies that serve our democracies and communities, and not the other way around. -- Rose Jackson, Director of the Democracy + Tech Initiative, The Atlantic Council Rob Lalka’s masterful storytelling unveils the inner workings of tech giants, human struggles, and ethical dilemmas. Beyond its gripping narrative lies a timely reflection on the importance of understanding the impact of technology, the value of personal data agency, and the urgent need for action from leaders and citizens alike. The Venture Alchemists is not just a story; it is a rallying cry to move beyond our current age of digital feudalism. -- Tomicah Tillemann, President, Project Liberty An ambitious business history book, ‘The Venture Alchemists’ chronicles how tech entrepreneurs amassed power and political influence. Grounded in thorough research, this expansive book goes beyond the familiar founding myths to lay out lesser-known details. With thoughts on their companies’ ramifications on society, [this book] is an illuminating insider’s view of how Silicon Valley CEOs and venture capitalists rose to power. * Foreword Reviews *"

This masterfully researched book reveals the all-too-human origins of today's tech titans. Rob Lalka transports us to the dorm room debates, campus lab breakthroughs, and free speech controversies where iconic companies like Facebook, Google, PayPal, and Palantir first emerged. Lalka traces the ambitions, adversities, and compromises that transformed young innovators into billionaires; here, the companies are vivid characters, and the entrepreneurs are real people, flaws and all. -- Walter Isaacson, National Humanities Medalist and author of <i>Elon Musk</i> and <i>Steve Jobs</i> Rob Lalka has written a provocative, deeply researched book that is frankly jaw-dropping in places. It is bound to be contested, but it is not mean-spirited; on the contrary, it is fuel for debates this country simply has to have. -- Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO, New America The Venture Alchemists provides a unique and searing perspective on the growth-at-all-costs mindset that fueled the tech industry and prompted a struggle between power and social responsibility. Rob Lalka brilliantly articulates that tech has the potential to both uplift and unsettle and correctly posits changing the narrative from ‘could we do this’ to ‘should we do this’ – a question all the more relevant as we move further into the world of AI. -- Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director, Anti-Defamation League

Author Information

Rob Lalka is the Albert R. Lepage Professor in Business and executive director of the Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Tulane University. He is on the board of directors of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Public Democracy, Inc., and Venture For America in New Orleans. Previously, he served on the U.S. Secretary of State’s policy planning staff and in the State Department’s Office of Global Partnerships, was a director at Village Capital, and was a senior advisor at the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.

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