Bill Draper

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, a pioneering Silicon Valley venture capitalist who invested in foundational tech companies including Activision, Skype, and Qume starting in the early 1960s, died on September 8 at age 98.