INVESTMENT LIFE – CHAPTER 50.

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NOTE : please do read this warning before hand. Not Proof-read, updates will be late since I have pre-finals.

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The next day, when several business plans were laid out in front of Mr. Jonathan, his facial expression had a slight twitch for a moment. There is no denying that taking all the information from the pile was a little bit to let the rich kid know the meaning of retreat, but it took a week to read it all, and he did not even care about the excellent alternative projects that he put at the top of each box, but picked such a pile of strange things out, Mr. Jonathan simply do not know what expression he should use to face this Chinese boy!

After looking over the not-so-thick materials several times, Jonathan finally sighed and looked up. “Have you really thought about choosing these?”

Although the blond man’s voice was still gentle and elegant, but the loss in his tone simply could not be concealed, Chen Yuanming smiled good-naturedly, “Of course, I think these are quite good ideas, and if the company’s employees are also reliable, they will be good investment targets.”

Jonathan’s lips twitched, and eventually just closed the folder in his hand. “I will contact them one by one, two of the companies open in Silicon Valley, one is still studying at Stanford University, and that last game company is set up in the southern city of Irvine, and to get in touch with them may take 2 or 3 days ……”

“It’s okay, I have enough patience to stay.” Chen Yuanming simply nodded, indicating that there was plenty of time.

Seeing that the other party had made up his mind, Mr. Jonathan was really at a loss for words, so he stood up helplessly, and after thinking for a long time, he added a sincere sentence. “While that money may not be worth mentioning in your opinion, it is very precious to entrepreneurs. So please use it as much as possible to those who really need it. The reason why angel investors are called an ‘angel’ rather than a ‘vampire’ because of this precious spirit and belief.”

This is obviously beyond the scope of what a partner should say, but Chen Yuanming did not get angry, but sat up straight, “Thank you for your advice, but I also believe in my own vision, and this is not a waste of money.”

Seeing the rare serious expression on the young man’s face, Mr. Jonathan was only slightly startled, and when he looked at the materials in his hand, he couldn’t help but feel a little confused. Does this child really think they are profitable projects? But after thinking about it for a long time, it was still fruitless, he exhaled softly, and gave up thinking…. Standing up politely, Mr. Jonathan nodded to Chen Yuanming, “I will give you an answer as soon as possible.”

His speed is indeed not slow. Just the next day, two companies agreed to a time. The young man who developed the USB interface had a team of four people. This group of people definitely came prepared. They didn’t choose to hold a bunch of adapters or a few computers for random operation. Instead, they prepared a set of pretty explanatory diagrams, which explained the benefits of universal USB interface from the principle level. A square prototype was also brought out and handed to the investors present to pass around.

Jonathan couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow when he got that interface. The idea was certainly a good one, but the actual value of putting it into production was small. Compared to the barriers between several computer giants, their efforts are too insignificant to compete with.

Chen Yuanming listened with great interest. The business acumen shown by these young men is very impressive. Nowadays, there is no concept of “universal serial port” on the market. Personal computers from different manufacturers in this era seem to be products from different planets, with great differences and no compatibility plans at all. However with more and more computer-related products produced, more will be the need for compatibility. The concept of this USB is quite close to the finished product of later generations, but the size is a bit outrageous. If the shape is improved, it will match the classic models of later generations. Then when a large company sets standards, it is obviously more convenient to acquire the off-the-shelf technology directly by merging the company.

This is not a company that you can keep, but it doesn’t mean it can’t bring wealth. After thinking for a while, Chen Yuanming smiled and raised his own questions in the face of several young people who looked uneasy.

“I do appreciate this idea, but there are two questions that must be said up front. First, is there room for improvement in this product, such as reducing the size of he socket area and making it less conspicuous on the host as much as possible? Secondly, are you confident that you can obtain the patent rights and make it work for most systems.”

The two questions, although not related to the technical core, but is quite straight to the point. the people on the opposite side were obviously stunned, but the red-haired boy in the lead quickly calmed down and answered calmly. “According to the design plan, these will be the main targets for the next step. At present, the chip has been roughly determined, the only thing lacking is time, Give us half a year, will deliver results that will surprise you.”

Whether it was the product or the team, such a combination was enough to satisfy Chen Yuanming. Finally the contract was signed smoothly, with an initial investment of $200,000 to support each other’s R&D. The investor owns 50% of the company’s shares, and does not involve in team management. Before the next financing, phased results must be presented.

The next two C language design teams are not very satisfactory, the product goals are not clear, although the ideas are trendy, but the possibility of implementing them is not high. The team researching instant messaging software also has similar problems, but their programming level and ideas are obviously more in line with future development. After careful consideration, Chen Yuanming finally invested 100,000 US dollars in it, but the company must further integrate and consider the compatibility of the software, and only after the next step of progress can we talk about further financing.

Four projects were negotiated, with two successes and two failures, not a huge investment, but really impressed Jonathan a bit. Although he couldn’t confirm the Chinese boy’s criteria for selecting the projects, when it came to the real investment, he seemed very sophisticated, no less than any mature venture capitalist.

And what he is concerned about is not the hype-like introduction in the plan, but to delineate landmarks for these ignorant small companies, so that their illusory ideas can see the reality. It’s not that Jonathan has never seen this kind of technique, but it is often only used by senior industry veterans. Now it is used by this teenager who obviously doesn’t have much computer knowledge. The shock is self-evident.

Compared with Jonathan’s surprise, Chen Yuanming is holding a trace of apprehension at this time. The “Silicon and Nerve Key” company’s project has actually been pitched to more than one venture capital firm, and has also been rejected by more than one company. This is like the unspoken rule of the venture capital industry, “bearish” will affect the selection criteria of other investors, in the industry there is no secret, rejected by many people means that the potential purchase value is close to zero, but what is the name of “that company” in later generations? If no one really invests, how can it develop to such a scale?

This apprehension slowly festered over time, and compared to the swiftness of several other companies, the response time of “Silicon and Nerve Key” was comparable to that of a snail. It was not until the weekend that they finally set an appointment time. The meeting will be held at on Monday morning.

Early in the morning, Chen Yuanming flew to Shashan Road in his soft-top Land Rover, but someone came earlier than him. Outside the parking lot of Aaron’s company, an old Ford car was leaning pitifully on the side of the road, with two young people squatting beside the car, one nervously holding a computer, the other holding a large stack of The information, wearing washed out white jeans and a crumpled T-shirt.

Hearing a car approaching, the curly-haired boy holding the computer lazily raised his head, his eyes were a bright, “Wow, Land Rover! New Land Rover! Cool! Look, Ellen!”

The short-haired kid across the street didn’t even want to lift his head, “Mike, please, let’s wait until 9:00, okay? I’ve been driving all night, just to save money on those two hotel ……”

” It wasn’t me who cried about poverty before.” The curly-haired boy put his head on the computer in frustration, “I wonder if Aaron has any of those hospitality cookies, I’m so hungry ……”

This conversation was really too unique, Chen Yuanming slightly froze for a moment, and suddenly revealed a smile.

“You guys also come to Aaron to try your luck?”

A voice interrupted the weak discussion between the two. Mike raised his head again and looked at the boy in front of him curiously. This is an oriental guy who doesn’t look old – crap, all easterners look like minors – also dressed casually, just looks rich…

Rich man. A little hurt inside, Mike sighed, “Yeah, we’re the owners …… er, CEOs of Silicon & Nerve Key, we came over here to find an ‘angel’ to throw money at us.”

“In fact, I think I can get through it with a little support.” Alan on the side complained, “You also know the temper of the tech nerds and rich owners in the venture capital company, they don’t look well up on gamers at all… Anyway” “The Lost Vikings” is almost finished, and when we find a seller, we will definitely get the start-up capital, so what are you afraid of.”

“I’m afraid that if I eat pickled cucumbers again, I will become the Hulk!”

With a poof, Chen Yuanming laughed out loud. “What kind of game are you guys doing, are you interested in telling me about it?” After looking at the tired and defensive look of the two, he added, “There’s an IHOP muffin house not far next door, why don’t I treat you guys to a casual meal?”

He was answered by two loud stomach rumblings. Alan swallowed, “Isn’t there an hour left? I think it’s a good idea to chat!”

It really is.

Squeezed in a narrow seat, Mike tried to stuff muffins into his mouth like a starving ghost. The muffins sprinkled with special maple syrup were so delicious that people could swallow their tongues. On the side Alan who had already wiped out an entire plate of beef and potato pancakes and was filling his mouth with egg pancakes.

“Why do you have to choose computer games? Isn’t SFC quite popular?” Sitting there, Chen Yuanming drank coffee in his spare time and continued the topic just now.

SFC is the follow-up version of Nintendo’s red and white machine, and its sales in Europe and the United States are very amazing. It is currently the mainstream TV game console.

Mike took a gulp of coffee and flushed the muffin stuck in his throat, “We all think that PC games will be the king of the gaming world in the future. Game consoles will be eliminated sooner or later, but computers will not. With the upgrade of the equipment, its expressiveness will only become more and more amazing, just like the “Dune Castle” previously launched by Westwood, it is simply fascinating, isn’t it?”

“But our ‘Warcraft’ will be better than ‘Dune’!” Alan interjected, “Frank is studying the core of Dune at home, and he thinks he can make a better game engine. We have already contacted a few friends, as long as we expand the studio’s lineup to 20 people, we will be able to produce a masterpiece that attracts worldwide attention!”

“I think the cost of 20 people is a bit too much…” Mike interjected weakly, “Is 15 enough?”

“Ahem, if only The Lost Vikings could sell 200,000, well, 150,000 would be fine. You can skip the meal, but you still have to add what you need to add ……” Scratching the short hair on his head with chagrin, Alan muttered, “Everyone thinks we won’t make it, but our Rock Racer is really quite well received. If these two games can’t get enough money together, we’ll have to continue developing new games, and the plan about Warcraft will have to be postponed …… if only we could be as rich as Westwood!”

“How many years has Westwood been established, and you.”

“Huh.” Two dry laugh, Alan like a Viking warrior before going to war, gulped a mouthful of the remaining coffee in his cup, and snapped the cup on the table, “What the hell, it’s on Sand Hill Road anyway! This is the first time an Angel Investment has responded to us!”

“That’s right!” Mike proudly raised the coffee cup in his hand, “Cheers to that angel’s ‘wisdom eye’!”

Chen Yuanming smiled and raised the coffee cup in his hand and touched the others lightly, “Cheers to his discerning eyes.”

The two young people seemed to have finally regained their original fighting spirit. When they parted, the curly-haired boy quietly gave Chen Yuanming a floppy disk, saying that it was the DOS version of “Rock Racing”, and he was welcome to join to enter the game world of silicon and nerve keys together.

Holding the floppy disk, looking at the back of two people, Chen Yuanming had mixed feelings. When he entered Zhongguancun to sell computers, he happened to be at the turning point in 2000 when the Internet became popular and the computer industry developed rapidly. At that time, who had never played Warcraft, and who did not know Diablo, these two models in Computer City. The sales of the discs were mind-blowing, and when “Diablo 2” hit the market, hardcore gaming fans quickly blew it up.

He’s not exactly a game-obsessed person, but who can’t be a little bit sentimental about this company, having lived through that budding computer era?

Now he is holding this floppy disk presented by Mike Morhaime himself. Gently flipping the disk, Chen Yuanming smiled.

Following the seemingly elite partner, Mike whispered to Alan, “After going in I’ll find an outlet to connect the computer first, you’ll show them the design, yes, it’s those awesome orc design, and those story frameworks or something, stabilize them first, wait until I open the “Lost Vikings”, we can have a two-man show, About contacting Nintendo to sell the game can be left out for now, so we can get some more money ……”

“Come on Mike! I’ve heard it all eight hundred times!” Alan kicked the other party, “Make sure your broken computer doesn’t make a mess!”

In what seemed like an instant, they were at the door of the conference room, taking a deep breath, the two men stepped through the door as bravely as Viking warriors facing a dragon, but before they could split up as planned, the figure sitting on the main seat left their mouths open ……

“You…” Mike felt a little confused, wasn’t this the Chinese boy who invited them to dinner just now?

Alan, on the other hand, clutched the information book in his arms and recalled with horror what he had actually said during dinner earlier, he didn’t say that Warcraft was somewhat modeled after Dune, right?

The scene fell into a horrible awkwardness for a while, and eventually it was Mr. Jonathan who dutifully introduced, “These two are the founders of Silicon & Neuro Key, Mr. Alan Yardham and Mr. Mike Morhaime.”

The smile on Chen Yuanming’s face did not diminish by half, “Yes, I am already quite familiar with these two gentlemen. But the application amount in the proposal makes me a bit suspicious, 300,000 seems not a particularly appropriate figure.”

“I…we…” The cold sweat on Mike’s forehead fell. Did he just brag about selling the Vikings to Nintendo? Now, is it too late to say only 200,000…

Looking at the panicked expression of the other party, the smile on Chen Yuanming’s lips deepened, “Your company is more interesting than I expected. I’m afraid 1 million is the most correct price. But…” A bit of a nasty stretch. After a few words, he said unhurriedly, “silicon and nerve key is really a terrible name, don’t you plan to change it?”

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