The ‘mouse man’ actually started his business in a cowshed on his father-in-law’s farm some 25 years ago. Swiss-born Daniel Borel’s Logitech computer mouse is now a world leader and he employs 9000 people.
Daniel Borel, born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland on 14 February 1950, founded the Logitech Company in 1981 with Italian partners Pierluigi Zappacosta and Giacomo Marini. From very modest beginnings in a cowshed on the farm of Borel’s father-in-law, it has now become one of the richest companies in Switzerland, with assets of around 350 million Swiss francs and employing around 9000 people worldwide.
Ingenious idea
When Logitech was founded, personal computers were still controlled by keyboards. After graduating with a degree in physics at Lausanne, Daniel Borel spent time at America’s elite Stanford University, where in 1976 he came across an invention by US engineer Douglas Englebart who had already developed a computer mouse during the 1960s. Daniel Borer immediately recognized that Engelbart’s ingenious idea could replace complicated keyboard functions. With assistance from other engineers from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Borel pushed forward further development of Engelbart’s invention.
Look back and smile
Despite the bank’s refusal to provide Borel with any risk capital, he steadfastly followed his goal and produced the first mouse in 1982. The computer mouse was called quite simply 'P4' – it was chunky, almost hand-size and at 300 US dollars, also very expensive. The new innovation was ahead of its time: there was no call for it and it ‘nose dived’. Badly in need of orders, Borel took off to see Bill Gates at Microsoft, who had just launched the first mouse controlled ‘Word’ programme. Borel offered to supply his mouse, but Gates strung him along for two years. Borel moved the company headquarters to Fremont, California but at the same time aimed at the Asian market. The move to California brought a breath of fresh air and new dynamism to the company, which to a certain extent had been held back by traditional Swiss over-caution. Today, Daniel Borel can look back and smile. Logitech has long outstripped Microsoft in the PC-mouse field and is now the world leader. But Logitech by no means rests on its laurels. The PC mouse is now one product amongst many in the computer technology field and the range keeps on expanding. Success is above all thanks to Internet hype. Logitech no longer needs to supply major PC manufacturers, which then put their own logo on the Swiss mouse. Today’s consumers can buy the original themselves and business is booming!
Back to the roots
Daniel Borel now lives in London and has handed over operational management of Logitech, while following proceedings as Chairman of the Executive Board. And despite its global stance, Logitech Europe is based in the village of Romanel-sur-Morges in the French-speaking region of Switzerland. A mere12 kilometres from the cowshed where it all began!
Logitech Inc.
6505 Kaiser Drive
Fremont, CA 94555 USA
