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 (Alex Williams/New York Times)

Bill Draper’s career underscores how long-term, early-stage technology investing helped shape the modern Silicon Valley ecosystem and accelerate the commercialization of transformative products and platforms. For CIOs and technology leaders, his legacy is a reminder that durable innovation advantage often comes from backing high-risk ideas early, building relationships with founders, and staying patient through multiple technology cycles. IT organizations should take note that today’s strategic differentiation increasingly depends on identifying emerging technologies before they become mainstream.