Many early investors were the friends and families of the employees.

The early investors received double their money back, with no explanation of how it was done.

Actually he was a very early investor in the company, before we went public.

Intel, another one of these companies, was an early investor, holding a 22% share in the company.

Instead, he used money he raised to pay off earlier investors.

"I was one of the early investors in Sam's," he said.

In large part, this has been caused by demand derived from earlier investors.

Benjamin French, one of the early investors in the project, paid £20 for the right to run the line and carry passengers.

One of its funds was an early investor in the Staples stores.

He was also an early investor in the Starbucks coffee house chain.