Gutenberg
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He has been known as the most influential person of the millennium. His invention, the printing press, is considered the most influential technology that has allowed our world to develop to the place it is now. However, unlike today's entrepreneurs who have turned information technology into a multi-billion dollar business, Johann Gutenberg's work led down a different path.
He was born Johann zum Gensfeish around 1397 in Mainz, Germany to a member of the local aristocracy and his wife: Gutenberg was the name of his mother's hometown, which he adopted, as was customary. While little is known about his childhood, given the standing of his family it was most likely relatively carefree. In 1428, the new merchant class exiled the aristocracy of Mainz and Gutenberg moved to Strasbourg, which was then a part of Germany.
While in Strasbourg, Johann Gutenberg began working as a jeweler, building a small fortune in process. He then formed a partnership with Hans Riffe, Andrew Dritzehen and Andrew Heilmann to make small mirrors and other trinkets for a fair that was to take a place the following year. When the fair was postponed for a year, Gutenberg allowed his partners to become involved with a secret project he had been working on. The project was a machine that would allow pages of words to be made using a press, ink and moveable type the printing press...