Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Daniel Kottke

Daniel Kottke (born April 4, 1954) is an American computer engineer renowned for his foundational role as one of the earliest employees at Apple Inc., where he joined as employee number 12 in 1977 and contributed to the assembly, testing, and prototyping of the company's pioneering personal computers. Kottke first encountered at in during the early 1970s, where the two became close friends and shared interests in , leading them to travel together to in 1974 in search of spiritual enlightenment. Initially lacking formal technical training, Kottke began his involvement with Apple part-time in 1976 by assembling and testing the original circuit boards alongside for , before transitioning to a full-time production role the following summer. Over his eight-year tenure at Apple, Kottke advanced to engineering positions, debugging Apple II circuit boards, developing peripherals and power supplies, building prototypes for the Apple III, and designing the Macintosh's detached keyboard as an early embedded single-chip computer subsystem; he was also an original member of the Macintosh development team, with his signature appearing inside early units of the computer. His hands-on work helped drive the success of the Apple II, one of the best-selling personal computers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, significantly advancing the personal computing revolution. After leaving Apple in 1984, Kottke pursued contracting work and later became a general partner at Cobb Mountain Partners LLC, while also producing and hosting the Silicon Valley television show The Next Step, which explores technology, spirituality, and social networking.

Early life and education

Early years

Daniel Kottke was born on April 4, 1954, in . Details regarding his family background, including parents and any siblings, remain largely private and undocumented in public records. Similarly, specific pre-college activities or early exposures that may have influenced his later interests in and are not widely detailed in available biographical sources. Kottke's foundational years in provided the backdrop for his subsequent academic journey at .

Reed College

Daniel Kottke enrolled at , a private liberal arts institution in , in 1972. The college, known for its rigorous academic environment and emphasis on independent thinking, provided a setting where students engaged deeply with humanities and creative disciplines. During his undergraduate years at Reed, Kottke aligned with the institution's liberal arts curriculum that encouraged broad intellectual exploration. He also studied , reflecting the campus's appreciation for artistic and aesthetic pursuits. Reed College in the early 1970s fostered an atmosphere of intellectual rigor combined with experimental freedom, where students pursued original ideas without the pressure of traditional grading systems—many did not even learn their grades to maintain focus on learning itself. The campus embodied a questing individualism and meritocracy, attracting those drawn to unconventional paths amid the broader countercultural movements of the era. Kottke later transferred to Columbia University to complete his degree, but his time at Reed shaped his early worldview through this blend of academic intensity and personal experimentation. Campus life at was marked by a vibrant countercultural scene, including widespread involvement in psychedelic experiences among peers seeking expanded consciousness. These activities exemplified the experimental freedom at Reed, free from rigid oversight.

In 1975, Kottke transferred to College to continue his . There, he majored in and , immersing himself in the within the university's urban setting, known for its rigorous academic environment that emphasized and interdisciplinary studies. He also briefly explored by taking an introductory course, EE-101, but found the classroom —dominated by a high proportion of Asian students—unappealing and did not pursue further technical studies at the time. Kottke completed his degree in 1977. During his time at , he maintained contact with early associates from , occasionally discussing their shared interests in technology and innovation. After his time at Apple, Kottke pursued a at Peninsula University College of Law in , earning his . He considered specializing in law but ultimately found the field's complexity at odds with his preference for simplification, a influenced by his earlier exposures.

Friendship with Steve Jobs

College meeting

Daniel Kottke first met during the first or second week of their freshman year at in 1972, when both struck up a conversation at the campus bookstore after purchasing copies of Be Here Now by , a influential guide to Eastern and . This chance encounter, centered on the $3.33 paperback that explored , , and countercultural ideals, immediately highlighted their aligned curiosities in metaphysics and personal enlightenment. Their friendship rapidly deepened through shared passions for , Buddhism, and the broader movement of the era, including and visits to the local temple for free meals. Kottke and Jobs bonded over intellectual discussions on topics like chakras, psychic energy, , and , often immersing themselves in the Reed library's collections on and metaphysics. They also connected through mutual interests in music, particularly , and experimental pursuits emblematic of the time, such as listening to records while exploring altered states of consciousness. Joint activities further solidified their close personal bond, including meditative practices in a dedicated space on campus and experimenting with together—specifically Orange Sunshine—while wandering rose gardens, experiences Kottke later described as transformative, with reporting using the drug about 10 to 15 times during his college years. During these college years, ' intense curiosity and proactive engagement with spiritual texts and practices notably influenced Kottke's perspectives, encouraging a deeper commitment to self-exploration and philosophical inquiry that shaped their ongoing dialogue.

India trip

In 1974, during their time at Reed College, Daniel Kottke and planned a spiritual journey to , inspired by books such as Be Here Now by and Autobiography of a Yogi by . The idea was further encouraged by mutual acquaintance , who suggested attending the festival in and . Jobs funded the trip using earnings from his job at , and the two departed in the summer of that year, seeking enlightenment through Eastern philosophies. During their travels, Kottke and immersed themselves in Hindu and Buddhist practices, visiting s and temples across northern . They stayed at the Hotel Vikas in 's neighborhood, where they enjoyed local foods like mangoes, yogurt, and chapatis, and took long, crowded bus rides to sites including Manali. Key stops included the of in Kainchi, which they found deserted following the guru's death in 1973, and a challenging trek to Hariakhan Baba's in the . They also explored temples in and encountered various spiritual figures, broadening their exposure to and ascetic traditions. The journey presented significant challenges, including cultural adjustments and health issues amid the intense . Both faced swarms of beggars in urban areas and a violent during a mountain hike, while Jobs contracted after drinking unfiltered water, leading to severe from 160 to 120 pounds in a week. Disappointment at the empty Neem Karoli and the physical demands of travel tested their resolve, yet these experiences fostered resilience. Upon returning to the after several months, the trip profoundly influenced their personal growth, with both adopting shaved heads as a symbol of their spiritual commitment. embraced Zen Buddhism and , while Kottke later pursued Vipassana retreats, reflecting a deepened interest in practices that stemmed from their immersion in spirituality.

Career at Apple

Hiring and initial roles

Through his close friendship with from their college days, Daniel Kottke became one of the earliest participants in Apple's operations. In the summer of 1976, while completing his studies at , Kottke informally joined the company by assembling and testing circuit boards in the garage of ' family home in . Following his graduation in 1977, Kottke was formally hired as Apple's 12th full-time employee, marking his transition to a permanent role in the growing startup. In these initial positions, Kottke's primary tasks involved hands-on assembly of kits and debugging circuit boards to ensure functionality. The working conditions reflected Apple's humble beginnings, with operations squeezed into the limited space of the Los Altos garage amid fumes and scattered components, until the company relocated to a dedicated building on Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino later in 1977.

Product contributions

As Apple's twelfth employee, hired in 1977, Daniel Kottke played a key role in the company's early development, collaborating closely with founders and on the and refinement of initial computer systems. His foundational work on the involved hands-on , rigorous testing of prototypes, and processes to ensure reliability, contributing to the machine's evolution from a hobbyist kit to a commercial product starting that year. Kottke debugged printed circuit boards for the family, troubleshooting electrical issues and iterating on designs to support its expansion capabilities, such as prototyping add-on cards that enhanced functionality. In 1981, Kottke joined the Macintosh project as an original team member, where he focused on building and refining to accelerate development. He constructed four to five initial wire-wrapped using 68000 processors on generic printed circuit cards, later modifying one to incorporate components like the Z8530 communications controller, IWM , and system timing functions. To aid , Kottke created hybrid schematics that merged assembly diagrams with circuit layouts, streamlining diagnostics for complex board failures during early iterations. One notable anecdote from this period involved observing engineer attempting to revive a shorted by applying 120VAC directly, which scorched the board beyond repair, highlighting the high-stakes experimentation in the team's cramped workspace. Kottke's hardware design contributions extended to the Macintosh , which he developed as a single-chip subsystem integrating both and for responsive input. In early 1982, he oversaw the assembly of approximately 50 pilot production boards, advancing the project toward manufacturability, and later assisted in getting a floppy drive prototype operational. His efforts earned him a signature embossed inside the casings of the first production Macintosh units, recognizing his integral role in bringing the innovative to market.

Departure and stock dispute

Kottke left Apple in the summer of 1984 after eight years with the company, having worked on key projects including debugging the , prototyping the , and contributing to the Macintosh hardware team. During preparations for Apple's 1980 , Kottke was not granted stock options despite promises from , as he was classified as an hourly technician rather than a salaried , making him ineligible under company policy. This omission left Kottke without the financial windfall that benefited many early employees, leading to significant disappointment and a sense of betrayal. The dispute over the stock options strained Kottke's long-standing friendship with , who had been his college roommate and travel companion to ; their personal relationship never fully recovered, though Kottke continued working under on the Macintosh project until his departure. In response to the inequity, allocated portions of his own shares to early employees like Kottke as part of a $10 million distribution from his personal holdings, providing some compensation but highlighting the tensions within Apple's leadership. Professionally, the incident contributed to Kottke's decision to leave, prompting him to pursue independent contract engineering work in shortly after.

Post-Apple career

Early post-Apple work

After departing Apple in 1984, Kottke transitioned into consulting roles in the sector, beginning in with employment at Greenleaf Science, a startup spun off from Stanford University's sleep studies laboratory under William Dement. At Greenleaf, he designed and built an eight-channel card compatible with the computer to support sleep research applications, which was later enhanced with a () and a for the company's Trace monitoring system. Kottke's hardware expertise led to further work in innovative devices, including a project with Lucidity Research where he contributed to the development of the Induction Mask. This wearable device aimed to facilitate lucid dreaming by detecting rapid eye movement () sleep stages via sensors and delivering subtle cues through LEDs to prompt dream awareness without fully waking the user, targeting therapeutic applications in dream . Influenced by his growing interest in the legal aspects of , Kottke enrolled at Peninsula University College of in , earning a while contemplating a shift toward . Ultimately, he deemed the field a poor fit for his background, which emphasized refining and simplifying designs, in contrast to the exhaustive and nuanced drafting required in patent work.

Recent ventures

In the , Kottke served as a at Cobb Mountain Partners LLC, an group that acquired and aimed to revive the historic Hoberg's Resort in Cobb, , a 125-year-old property spanning 160 acres with over 90 buildings. Kottke also produced and hosted the Silicon Valley television show The Next Step, which explores , , and social networking. By the 2020s, Kottke shifted focus toward , particularly in and healthcare. He took on the role of at Parrot Health, a startup launched in 2025 that develops an emotionally intelligent platform to support individuals experiencing crises by facilitating access to care through empathetic interactions. The platform emphasizes -driven empathy to provide on-demand assistance, addressing gaps in traditional services. Kottke has also maintained low-profile advisory roles in Silicon Valley, consulting for several AI companies with a particular interest in the integration of AI and telemedicine applications. In 2025, he participated as a speaker at the Vintage Computer Festival West, joining a panel on the origins and history of the , where he shared insights from his early days in personal .

Media appearances

Films and documentaries

Daniel Kottke, one of Apple's earliest employees and a college friend of , has been portrayed in several films depicting the company's formative years. In the 1999 biographical drama , which chronicles the rivalry between Apple and , Kottke is played by actor . The film highlights Kottke's role in the garage-era development of early Apple products, drawing from his real-life experiences as employee number 12. Kottke praised the movie for its accurate depiction of Jobs, noting that Noah Wyle's performance captured the co-founder's intensity effectively. The 2013 biopic Jobs, starring as , features Kottke portrayed by , emphasizing his involvement in the trip with Jobs and early hardware assembly at Apple. Kottke served as a script consultant on the film, providing input on historical details to ensure authenticity in scenes involving the company's origins. However, he critiqued certain dramatizations, such as the portrayal of interpersonal conflicts, stating that while the filmmakers "really did try very hard to get the history right," some elements like the employee firing scene deviated from his recollections. Kottke expressed a preference for Pirates of Silicon Valley over for its stronger writing and overall fidelity to events, despite both films capturing the chaotic energy of Apple's startup phase. Kottke has also appeared as himself in documentaries on Apple's history and Jobs' legacy, offering firsthand accounts. In Macheads (2009), he discusses the fanaticism surrounding the Apple brand and the Macintosh community. The 2011 BBC documentary Steve Jobs: Billion Dollar Hippy includes Kottke reflecting on Jobs' countercultural influences and early Apple days. The 2015 film Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, directed by , features an interview with Kottke as a friend and early Apple technician, where he discusses Jobs' personal flaws, including the denial of options to loyal team members like himself. This portrayal contrasts with the fictional films by providing unfiltered insights into Kottke's experiences, such as prototyping Macintosh hardware and navigating Jobs' demanding leadership style. Archival footage in such documentaries often contextualizes these stories with visuals from Apple's early days, though Kottke's own appearances emphasize reflective testimony over reenactments. Overall, these cinematic works underscore Kottke's foundational contributions to Apple, though he has noted that dramatized versions sometimes mythologize events at the expense of precise historical accuracy.

Interviews and talks

Daniel Kottke has participated in several interviews and talks reflecting on his experiences as an early Apple employee and his friendship with , often sharing insights into the company's formative years and personal influences. In a 2011 KQED interview, Kottke discussed meeting at and their shared spiritual interests leading to the 1974 India trip. The second part covered his assembly work on the and regrets over stock options during the 1980 IPO. In the 2011 Triangulation podcast on , Kottke detailed hardships from the trip and his role in building early Apple prototypes, including eventual stock receipt and later reconnection with . A 2015 Wall Street Journal interview clip addressed Kottke accidentally revealing ' paternity of daughter to Time magazine in 1983, which strained their relationship. In 2018 on Valley Talks, Kottke explained the origin of Apple's name and the influence of the on the company's minimalist identity. A 2019 interview focused on his transition to real estate, including work at Propy and parallels to Apple's innovations in democratizing technology. In an August 2025 interview, Kottke, as CTO at Parrot Health, highlighted 's role in fostering creativity and his hands-on Macintosh prototyping. In September 2025, at the Vintage Computer Festival West, Kottke was interviewed about early Apple hardware development and the Homebrew era. Later that month, an Instagram reel featured him discussing his psychedelic journey with at .

References

  1. [1]
    Mr. Daniel Kottke | IT History Society
    Bio/Description. A U.S. computer engineer and one of the earliest employees of Apple Inc. His official employee number was 12, having been assigned a few ...
  2. [2]
    Interview: Apple Employee No. 12 Dan Kottke on the Macintosh ...
    Dec 8, 2011 · Kottke was witness to the birth of Apple, plugging in chips into Apple I boards part-time for minimum wage before becoming an engineer for the ...
  3. [3]
    The man who prototyped the Macintosh – An interview with Daniel ...
    Oct 15, 2019 · Kottke initially went to Columbia College studying music but after being asked by Jobs to help assemble the Apple he got interested in ...Missing: education | Show results with:education
  4. [4]
    Daniel Kottke - Computer Hope
    Sep 15, 2017 · Name: Daniel Kottke. Born: April 4, 1954, in Bronxville, New York, USA. Computer-related contributions. Computer engineer and one of the ...Missing: City | Show results with:City
  5. [5]
    The Portrait Conversation 9 Daniel Kottke, Computer Pioneer ...
    From childhood escape into science fiction and studying calligraphy at Reed College and music at Columbia; to traveling in India with Steve Jobs and putting ...
  6. [6]
    steve-jobs-1976 | In Memoriam | Reed Magazine
    Steven P. Jobs '76 died on October 5, 2011, in Cupertino, California, from cancer. Even though he was officially enrolled at Reed for a single semester, he was ...
  7. [7]
    Daniel Kottke - Facebook
    Gen'l Partner at Cobb Mtn Partners LLC. Worked at Apple Inc. Studied at Peninsula Univ College of Law. Studied at Columbia University. Studied at Reed College.
  8. [8]
    Daniel Kottke talks doing LSD with Steve Jobs | Network World
    Feb 3, 2015 · Early Apple employee Daniel Kottke recently opened up about his days doing LSD with Steve Jobs in the 70s.
  9. [9]
    https://www.oregonlive.com/movies/2015/10/steve_jobs_at_reed_did_he_name.html
  10. [10]
    Daniel Kottke Net Worth
    Daniel Kottke is an American businessman who has a net worth of $1 million. Daniel Kottke was born in Bronxville, New York in April 1954.
  11. [11]
    An Interview with Daniel Kottke, the Man Who Built Some of Steve ...
    Daniel Kottke was Apple employee number 12 and at one point a close friend of Steve Jobs, meeting him at Reed College in 1972. He accompanied Jobs on what ...Missing: interests | Show results with:interests
  12. [12]
    Steve Jobs at Reed: Did he name Apple after working in the orchard ...
    Oct 14, 2015 · Jobs was into vegetarianism and Eastern philosophy and bonded with future Apple employee Daniel Kottke over "Be Here Now," a popular book by ...Missing: shared | Show results with:shared<|separator|>
  13. [13]
    In the beginning... there was Steve - The Times
    Oct 30, 2011 · ... Jobs a week after they arrived at Reed and shared his interest in Zen, Bob Dylan and acid. Jobs started spending much of his time with Kottke ...
  14. [14]
    India visit gave a vision to Steve Jobs
    Oct 13, 2011 · He came with college friend Daniel Kottke, who later became the first employee of Apple. ... I graduated from Columbia in June 1977 and ...
  15. [15]
    I for India, i for intuition - Times of India
    his taxi driver, who was ...
  16. [16]
    Steve Jobs' old garage about to become a piece of history
    Sep 27, 2013 · Daniel Kottke, who assembled most of the circuit boards for the first two generations of Apple computers and spent the summer of 1976 ...Missing: Cupertino | Show results with:Cupertino
  17. [17]
    Interview: Apple Employee No. 12 Dan Kottke on Company's ...
    Nov 25, 2011 · Kottke, who began with the company plugging chips into Apple I circuit boards, went on to work on the Apple II, Apple III, and Macintosh as a ...Missing: initial tasks
  18. [18]
    Apple's 30th Woz Headlines Nov. 4 Birthday Bash in Silicon Valley
    Oct 18, 2006 · ... Apple in the Garage," begins at 1 p.m.. Besides Woz, other featured speakers include Daniel Kottke, who helpedassemble Apple Is in the garage ...
  19. [19]
    Steve Jobs' boyhood home becomes historic site | CNN Business
    Oct 30, 2013 · Nine months later, in 1977, Apple Computer Co. was formally established and moved its operations to nearby Cupertino.
  20. [20]
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/steve-jobs-refused-early-apple-141405979.html
  21. [21]
    Daniel Kottke and Randy Wigginton on Building the First Mac - TNW
    Jan 25, 2014 · We spoke with early Apple employees Daniel Kottke and Randy Wigginton about how they tailored the first Mac for users instead of ...
  22. [22]
    When Steve Jobs Refused To Give Early Apple Employees Stock ...
    Sep 5, 2014 · Apple employee No. 12, Daniel Kottke, was one of these people. He had traveled to India with Jobs and was his college friend, but Jobs still ...
  23. [23]
    Steve Wozniak Gave Early Apple Employees $10 Million in Stock
    Sep 5, 2014 · Apple employee No. 12, Daniel Kottke, was one of these people. He had traveled to India with Jobs and was his college friend, but Jobs still ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  24. [24]
    Daniel Kottke - CTO ParrotHealth.com - LinkedIn
    Aug 13, 2025 · CTO ParrotHealth.com · Specialties: embedded systems HW & SW, internet connectivity · Experience: ParrotHealth.com · Location: Palo Alto ...Missing: Peninsula University Law
  25. [25]
    Hoberg's Resort purchased by group of investors - Lake County News
    Aug 9, 2010 · From left, Realtor Bob Willroy hands the keys to Hoberg's Resort in Cobb, Calif., to Daniel Kottke, a member of Cobb Mountain Partners LLC.
  26. [26]
    Parrot Health: Home
    With our emotionally intelligent AI platform, we're providing a lifeline of support for individuals in a mental health crisis, enabling them to get the care ...
  27. [27]
    Daniel Kottke CTO-Parrot Health, First Employee @Apple - YouTube
    Aug 8, 2025 · Interdisciplinary thinking tackles complex problems by integrating diverse knowledge. Reed College, a hub of liberal arts, nurtured this ...Missing: education Columbia
  28. [28]
    GPT Party 3.0. Daniel Kottke and Arnnon Geshuri: Transformations ...
    Daniel Kottke and Arnnon Geshuri: Transformations in the World of Artificial Intelligence ... After returning from India, I went to Columbia to study music, and ...
  29. [29]
    You never know who you will run into at the VCF 2025! Show info ...
    Dan Kottke will participate in person at my 4:30 PM panel session on the origins and history of the Homebrew Computer Club. Other participants from that ...
  30. [30]
    Revisiting 'Pirates of Silicon Valley', the original Steve Jobs movie
    Oct 17, 2015 · Wyle is uncannily similar to the young Apple co-founder: Jobs' real-life college buddy and Apple employee #12, Daniel Kottke, has said, "I ...
  31. [31]
    Apple's First Employees Review the New Steve Jobs Movie
    Aug 17, 2013 · Kottke, who did see the movie, and even consulted a bit said, "Well, Ashton's very good. I have no complaints with him at all, no complaints ...
  32. [32]
    VOTD: Steve Wozniak, Dan Kottke, And Andy Hertzfeld Dissect The ...
    Oct 8, 2013 · The pair preferred Pirates of Silicon Valley, which they found to be just as well acted but much better written. For now, we can all just hope ...
  33. [33]
    Early Apple employees comment on 'Jobs' movie - Engadget
    Aug 16, 2013 · Of the two, only Kottke has actually seen the movie, which he worked on as a script consultant. ... According to Kottke, this scene involving Jobs ...Missing: consultation | Show results with:consultation
  34. [34]
    Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (2015) - IMDb
    Daniel Kottke · Self - Friend & Apple Technician · Kobun Chino Otogawa · Self - Job's Spiritual Adviser; (archive footage). Chrisann Brennan · Self ...
  35. [35]
    Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine Documentary Review | TIME
    Aug 26, 2015 · He denied Daniel Kottke, one of the earliest members of the Macintosh team, any stock in Apple, for no apparent reason. Bob Belleville, a man ...
  36. [36]
    REVIEW: 'Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine' | Ticket
    Sep 18, 2015 · ... Daniel Kottke, among others. The film, through the various interviews, acknowledges that our view of Jobs has become that of a mythic being.
  37. [37]
    Triangulation 31: Daniel Kottke - YouTube
    Nov 10, 2011 · Hosts:Leo Laporte and Tom Merritt Known as one of the earliest employees of Apple Inc, being employee number 12, and the host the "The Next ...Missing: family parents siblings<|separator|>
  38. [38]
    How this guy accidentally revealed Steve Jobs' big secret - YouTube
    Oct 22, 2015 · Daniel Kottke says it was basically an accident that he revealed one of Steve Jobs' biggest secrets: he had a daughter, Lisa.Missing: Reed College
  39. [39]
    Rare Facts with Steve Jobs' college friend, Daniel Kottke - YouTube
    Jul 10, 2018 · ... Daniel Kottke, Early Apple Employee Host: Sylvia Gorajek, Valley Talks Talk Show Production: http://www.denimvideo.com Location: Docusign ...Missing: family background
  40. [40]
    Daniel Kottke - Steve Jobs, Real Estate, and The Future - YouTube
    Jul 9, 2019 · Daniel Kottke - Adviser at Propy | Steve Jobs, Real Estate, and The Future. 3.1K views · 6 years ago ...more ...Missing: stock options<|control11|><|separator|>
  41. [41]
    Daniel Kottke - CTO-Parrot Health First Employee @Apple - YouTube
    Aug 20, 2025 · Interdisciplinary thinking tackles complex problems by integrating diverse knowledge. Reed College, a hub of liberal arts, nurtured this ...<|control11|><|separator|>