#Fairchild Semiconductor

Tagged Fairchild Semiconductor · show all articles

A plain hand-lettered company sign caught being hung above a workshop door in bright daylight, still a few inches from its final mounting position, a stack of resignation letters visible on a desk inside

The Eight Men Who Quit and Built Silicon Valley

Nearly every company in this cohort's history traces back to one 1957 resignation. Eight scientists walked out on their own boss and founded Fairchild Semiconductor — arguably the single most consequential exit in the industry's history.

By Brecht Corbeel · August 10, 2026 · 4 min read

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