In the 21st Century we all march to a digital beat, electronic devices shape how we work talk, travel and play, and at the very heart of todays technology lies a very tiny but extraordinary invention. It’s inventor is not a household name but to those that knew him Robert Noyce is one of the key figures of the modern age.

Noyce laid the foundations of Americas most innovative industry and Silicon Valley itself is built on the technical innovations he contributed to. He also fostered a new type of business culture, rejecting corporate hierarchy and empowering his employees.

Having been credited with the realization of the first integrated circuit or microchip, Robert Noyce may very well be the most important person people have never heard of