Ed And The Energy Harvesting Chip

'No one says anything so, unwisely, I ask: "Frank Bush?"'

'"Yes," replies the GM for analogue, "the guy who came to you 18 months ago with an idea for an energy harvesting IC".'

'"He left us, didn't he?" I ask.

'"Yes he did, after you turned it down", says the GM,

'"Not me", I tell him, "I took that idea to the VCs, they turned it down. Why bring it up now?"'

"Because Frank took the idea to Linear Semi and his energy harvesting chip is now turning over $4 million a quarter".'

Silence. Everyone looks at me. I say nothing. The analogue GM won't let it go:

'"So why aren't we getting that extra $4 million, Ed",' he asks.

'"The VCs told me to get on with executing the business plan without embarking on diversions," I told him.'

'"Do you mean to say the VCs are too thick to go for a product which could be generating an extra $4 million a quarter in the run-up to an IPO?" he retorts.'

'"It's just that they see the business plan and only the business plan'," I tell him.'

'"I expect you didn't explain it properly"' replies the analogue GM.

'The shit I have to take,' writes Ed, 'still it's only 39 days till the IPO and then I'm far from here with the dogsbollox of all dollops of dosh."