Jobs held an extremely optimistic view of Gamenova, the gaming Tycoon that emerged from the ruins of the video game industry.
Many times, he even felt that Lin Lixin was the kindred spirit he had been searching for.
His business philosophy is exactly the same as mine.
A focus on quality, a pursuit of innovation, and an elite team.
"Mr. Lin, I believe that the first ten employees of a startup determine the company's level."
Looking at the three leading figures from different fields before him, Jobs exclaimed sincerely, "Gamenova truly has a wealth of talent."
Lin Lixin smiled faintly.
From a timeline perspective, Jobs was experiencing a very awkward low point in his career during this period.
Although Apple's rapid growth after its IPO brought him huge profits, it also caused him to lose control.
As a result, he has now been completely excluded from the core circle.
He longed to prove to the world that Apple couldn't function without him, that he was the one who made Apple what it is today.
Thus, NeXT was born.
Jobs invested $7 million in it, and the company's business was very simple, just like Apple's: making computers.
This time, however, he chose workstations focused on higher education and business markets, rather than Apple's home-use models.
Having learned from Apple's mistakes, Jobs now values control above all else.
A direct acquisition is simply impossible.
Ultimately, it was NeXT that lacked funds, not Jobs himself.
If it weren't for the desire to prove himself, the profits Apple brought him after its IPO would have been enough for Jobs to enjoy his retirement.
But Lin Lixin knew very well that NeXT's fate would probably not be as Jobs had hoped, and that it would not create another miracle.
The Cube, a workstation he had high hopes for, suffered a severe sales setback, selling only about 400 units per month.
The losses in hardware operations continued until 1993, when they were finally officially terminated.
However, on the software side, NeXT partnered with Sun to jointly develop a software called OpenSteel.
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The specifications and the NeXTSTEP system.
These two individuals are the cornerstones of modern macOS and iOS.
This was also a major factor in Jobs ' return to Apple.
It is no exaggeration to say that although NeXT failed, without NeXT, there would be no subsequent glory for Sun and Apple.
Now, Lin Lixin has an opportunity to interfere in this matter.
"Mr. Jobs, I heard you've been looking for venture capital firms lately?"
Lin Lixin didn't waste any time and went straight to the point, stating the purpose of his trip. "Aren't you worried about losing control like Apple did?"
"Of course I was worried, but my time at Apple taught me a lot."
Jobs made no attempt to hide his feelings, treating Lin Lixin as an insider. "Although I have considerable assets, long-term large-scale research and development, manufacturing, and marketing all require money."
"What's the point of me holding onto this meaningless control if I can't even develop a product?"
Lin Lixin revealed a knowing look.
It seems that NeXT's operations are in a really terrible state.
"Mr. Jobs, instead of involving people in the financial world, don't you think it would be better to have your friends help?"
"I can't say what the future holds for NeXT, but based on you alone, based on the name 'Jobs,' I'd say twenty million."
"Twenty million US dollars in exchange for a 16% stake in NeXT, and of course, a seat on the board of directors."
Upon hearing this, Jobs was taken aback.
Based on this offer, Lin Lixin's valuation of NeXT has exceeded one hundred million US dollars.
Although I had just told him a lot about NeXT's grand vision for the future, those things ultimately remained on paper.
Something that's barely begun.
To put it bluntly, it's all just empty promises.
Forget about those even more outlandish and cutting-edge technologies; even the complete PC system he mentioned is still nowhere to be seen.
How could Lin Lixin so readily invest so much money in a shell company that venture capital firms would never even glance at?
Honestly, this offer is incredibly attractive.
"If I accept this blood transfusion, I can truly pursue the perfection I desire."
"As well as----"
Before he could answer, Lin Lixin added, "Micro-Nova exchanged its general-purpose graphics accelerator card technology for a 2% stake, and SGI exchanged its high-end workstation architecture technology for a similar 2% stake."
If the previous price was Lin Lixin's way of showing respect for himself, then this 4% stake is truly a windfall.
SGI, needless to say, is already a mature company specializing in high-end graphics workstations, and they can offer a great deal of help in terms of architecture.
If a professional organization were to conduct a valuation, the technical Support alone would be worth tens of millions of dollars.
MicroNova, on the other hand, is a heavyweight contender.
Although GAMENOVA's own graphics chip development company hasn't released any products to the consumer market, the technology they use in GAMENOVA's own products is so advanced that it makes everyone drool.
Jobs jumped up from the sofa and stretched out his hand.
"I will have the lawyers draft the documents as soon as possible!"
Respect and trust are things he could never get at Apple.
This guy is a good match!
They get along so well!
Lin Lixin clasped his hand.
He already knew in his heart who had gotten the better deal.
"So, Mr. Jobs, would you be willing to do a small favor for your friend?"
For Lin Lixin, a partner like Jobs, who has absolute control over the company, is far better than those listed companies.
Simple, direct, and efficient.
There's no lengthy, tedious wrangling at the board meeting; you can speak directly with the person in charge.
The only problem might be that the risks of decision-making cannot be shared, which could easily lead to going astray.
Do you have any other plans for today?
Vivian noticed that the car wasn't heading towards the company, which puzzled her.
"NeXT isn't enough; we need a partner for the civilian market."
Lin Lixin looked out the window.
NeXT's true value lies in its software; its high-end workstations are not actually that much more valuable than SGI's.
To truly establish a standard, he needs to get more people on his bandwagon.
And here is indeed an entrepreneur like Jobs, who had an extremely strong desire for control and absolute control over the company.
An amazing man who is only 20 years old this year, but has already founded his own PC company and designed an excellent PC on his own.
A man who was soon named the youngest CEO in Fortune's Global 500.
Michael Dell, founder of Dell.
His invention of a direct sales model that bypasses all intermediaries and sells PCs directly to customers via telephone and mail order gave Lin Lixin a most direct promotion channel.