How to Make your First Billion

As part of the BBC's SuperPower season, How To Make Your First Billion is a drama mixing reality and imagination.

Silicon Valley is a global hub of cutting edge hi-tech companies, entrepreneurs and would-be business people that has seen backroom ideas develop into global brands.

How To Make Your First Billion gives a fictionalised insight into Silicon Valley, the home of the global communications revolution.

 Listen to How To Make Your First Billion

EPISODE 1:  The true stories of the trials and tribulations of setting up an internet company.  

 Meet Jake Armstrong, 28 - a serial entrepreneur who has yet to succeed. His friend Subash is a 26 year old computer whiz from India.

Combining Subash's ideas and technical know-how with Jake's entrepreneurial flair, the two go into business together with a vision.

They have an idea that they believe will not only make their mark in Silicon Valley but will change the world and make them billionaires in the process.

Click here to see more photos taken on set of the drama

The drama follows the pair as they attempt to get the business off the ground, attracting investment and dealing with the trials and tribulations of trying to build a world-conquering corporation.

Made in and around Silicon Valley, the drama echoes many of the true stories of entrepreneurs who started from nothing to create iconic brands.

Real life entrepreneurs feature in the drama, telling us how they launched their companies and offering advice to the two characters as they try to launch their business. They are an A-list of Silicon Valley business people.

• Michael Arrington - founder of Techcrunch, a blog covering Silicon Valley. In 2008 Time Magazine named him as one of the most influential people in the world.
• Jerry Yang - co-founder and former CEO of Yahoo
• David Filo - co-founder of Yahoo
• Ron Conway - Angel Investor. He was an early stage investor in Google, Ask Jeeves and PayPal
• Susan Wojcicki - Google’s first marketing manager
• Biz Stone - co-founder and Creative Director of Twitter
• David Weekly - founder of PBWorks
• Gideon Yu - former CFO of Facebook and YouTube
• Joshua Schachter - creator of Delicious
• James NcNiven of Bucks Restaurant, where the idea for many famous start-ups were born

Here you can listen to the series in 10 x 9 minute parts.

 'HOW TO MAKE YOUR FIRST BILLION' SERIES ON THE BBC WORLD SERVICE WEBSITE