Visionaries, passionate about research and evolution, several actors have left their traces in entrepreneurship. Here is a ranking of entrepreneurs who have succeeded in their bet. Who are they? What have been their greatest accomplishments?
Matthew Boulton and the mechanization of factories
Associated with the Scottish engineer James Watt, Matthew Boulton became a reference in the field of factory mechanization and in some ways in entrepreneurship even if the status of entrepreneur did not yet exist. Of English origin, this great man was at the head of the Soho Manufacturing Company, one of the first establishments to practice mass production on a large scale and to exploit the techniques of the division of labor.
Passionate about research, he created the Lunar Society in 1766, an organization that brings together the greatest enthusiasts of research on technologies and industrial applications. There he met James Watt, the man who revolutionized the steam engine. If the latter was confined to the development of the device, Matthew Boulton developed for his part, the sales techniques of the famous machine. The two partners, therefore, embarked on the promotion of the steam engine to major industrialists both nationally and internationally. They deliver the performance of the steam engine and its instructions for use, but above all studies on the cost of the products manufactured as well as the labor required.
The duo that revolutionized the world!
Larry Page and Sergey Brin are two entrepreneurs who have revolutionized Internet research. As soon as they left Stanford University, they developed a major project called Google. This offers a new, more fluid, and practical dimension to Internet searches. They create online research software based on a predefined algorithm, not on the recurrence of keywords. The platform met with real success in 1999. In two years, the requests to be processed increased from 100,000 to 100 million per day. Four years after its creation, Google has achieved unprecedented financial success, thanks to advertising inserted into the platform in a subtle and space-saving way. Today, it is the most widely used search engine on the web.
Bill Gates, the computer king
Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft is also among the entrepreneurs who have left their mark in history. He started from the conviction that every household can perfectly have access to computers. In 1975, he created with Paul Allen, pioneer of microcomputing, a program equipping Altair computers. This project brings them together by $3,000. A year later, the two “geeks” left university and decided to found Microsoft. Above all, they founded the MS-DOS operating system for IBM computers and received a commission on each PC sold. By holding the exclusivity of their operating system, the two partners then managed to equip computers around the world with their own software.
Jack Ma and Jeff Bezos, the big names in e-commerce
Jeff Bezos, the big boss of Amazon firm has made his mark in the world of e-commerce. This physics and computer enthusiast has been able to draw on the Internet, to set up an online commerce platform and offer products that add value to the traditional distribution method. The idea came to him when he read about the growth rate of the Internet which was 2,300% per year. To stand out from the competition, it offers in addition to these flagship products, a faster delivery time with follow-up and a reliable after-sales service. He even offers his customers products similar to what they ordered.
Another big name in online commerce, is Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba.com, a platform that allows Chinese entrepreneurs to get in touch with foreign companies, in order to become their subcontractors. The platform then met with dazzling success, especially after the SARS epidemic of 2003 which limited the travel of Chinese businessmen abroad. All transactions are therefore carried out remotely, thanks to its platform.
Catherine Barba, Business Angel
Founder of Cash Store and Malinea, which have since been sold to eBuyClub and vente-privee.com, Catherine Barba is at the heart of the world of entrepreneurship. She believes in the potential of start-ups and does not hesitate to support them. She created a short program on M6 entitled “Entreprendre C Grandir” in which she presents portraits of entrepreneurs. Season 2 began on January 5, 2022, to the delight of entrepreneurs. She is also part of the 100,000 Entrepreneurs association, which aims to transmit the entrepreneurial spirit to schoolchildren. As a Business Angel, she finances numerous start-ups including Leetchi, So Shape, Recommend, and Trendsboard. In January 2020, it made an investment in Place2Swap, based in Île-de-France. She is also part of the jury of the show Who wants to be my partner? broadcast since this year on M6.
0 Comments