Nolan Bushnell: The Man Who Passed on Apple for $50,000 and Lost the Chance to Become the World's First Trillionaire

Nolan Bushnell, Steve Jobs' former boss at Atari, declined a $50,000 investment offer for a one-third stake in Apple in 1976. The stake would be worth nearly $1 trillion today, making Bushnell wealthier than any single entrepreneur alive. Bushnell attributes his decision to the offer seeming like a lot of money and being too busy with Atari. He has no regrets about the decision, as becoming "uber, uber, uber rich" wasn't the only path to fulfillment.

Nolan Bushnell, the cofounder of Atari, turned down a $50,000 offer for a one-third stake in Apple in 1976. This decision, made when Apple was a fledgling company, would have made Bushnell the wealthiest entrepreneur alive today, with a stake worth nearly $1 trillion [1].

The offer was made by Steve Jobs, who was then working at Atari. Jobs, who had shown promise as a businessman, approached Bushnell with the proposal. However, Bushnell, who was already busy with Atari, declined the offer. He later stated that the amount seemed like a lot of money at the time and that he was too busy with Atari to consider the offer [1].

Bushnell has no regrets about his decision. He believes that becoming "uber, uber, uber rich" wasn't the only path to fulfillment. He is content with his life and the success of Apple, which he still supports [1].

This story serves as a reminder of the significant opportunities that can be missed in the tech industry. It also highlights the importance of strategic decision-making in business. Bushnell's decision not to invest in Apple was a significant missed opportunity, but it also allowed him to continue growing Atari and shaping the video game industry.

References:
[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/steve-jobs-first-silicon-valley-145855989.html