Long before Apple became one of the world’s most valuable companies, its journey began with personal sacrifice and belief in an untested idea. In the mid-1970s, a young Steve Jobs, then just in his early twenties, sold his Volkswagen bus, his primary means of transport, to raise $1,300. The money was used to buy electronic components needed to build Apple I, the company’s very first computer.
At the same time, co-founder Steve Wozniak sold his prized HP calculator, highlighting how both founders were willing to give up personal comforts to fund their shared vision. The Apple I, hand-built in Jobs’s garage, was officially launched on April 1, 1976, marking the birth of Apple Computer.
The gamble paid off quickly. A local computer retailer placed an order worth $50,000 for 100 Apple I units, giving the founders their first major cash flow. This early success laid the foundation for the Apple II, which would go on to revolutionise the personal computer industry and bring computing into homes and schools.
By the age of 23, Steve Jobs had become a millionaire, and within a year his net worth had crossed $10 million, driven by Apple’s rapid growth. His early decision to sell a personal asset is often cited as a defining example of startup risk-taking, where conviction, timing, and innovation intersect.
Jobs’s story continues to inspire entrepreneurs worldwide, serving as a reminder that many iconic companies began not with massive funding, but with bold ideas, personal risk, and unwavering belief in the future.
