Aug 6, 1:00 – 3:00 AM (UTC)
CreaTV San Jose, 38 South Second Street, San Jose, 95113
Daniel Kottke is a Silicon Valley pioneer and Apple's first employee. A close college friend of Steve Jobs at Reed College, he traveled with Jobs to India in 1974 before joining him in the garage where Apple began.
Get tickets
Our upcoming Startup Grind San Jose fireside chat is hosting Daniel Kottke, Apple's first employee.
Daniel Kottke met Steve Jobs at Reed College in 1972 and traveled with him through India in search of spiritual enlightenment. In 1977, he became Apple's first employee at the famous Apple Garage, where he assembled and tested the original Apple I and Apple II boards before transitioning into engineering roles on the Apple III and Macintosh during his eight years at the company.
Join us for a firsthand look at how one of America's most influential companies came together, fifty years on. This is a conversation you will not want to miss.
Founders will walk away with a rare inside view of what it actually looked like to build a category-defining company from zero, before playbooks existed, and lessons on loyalty, timing, and staying close to product in the earliest days.
Derek Andersen, Co-Founder and CEO at Startup Grind, will moderate the fireside chat.
Join us in person on Wednesday, August 5, at CreaTV San Jose from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. If you are a CreaTV member, reach out to the CreaTV team for your free ticket.
Food and drinks will be served. Seats are limited, so book yours now.
A big thank you to CreaTV San Jose for hosting us and to Jumpstart for supporting our mission.
Always remember: We believe in making friends, not contacts. We believe in giving first, not taking. We believe in helping others before helping yourself.
Apple
First Employee
Bevy / Startup Grind
Co-founder + CEO
Thursday, August 6, 2026
1:00 AM – 3:00 AM (UTC)
Startup Grind/Bay Area Council
Public Affairs Lead/General Counsel and SVP Technology & Innovation
Startup Grind San Jose
Director
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