Here's how Silicon Valley Bank served the tech industry and beyond

What was Silicon Valley Bank to the world of startups and venture capital? Practically everything. 
 

Conceived over a poker game between two of its founders nearly 40 years ago, the firm grew into the single most critical financial institution for the nascent tech scene, serving half of all venture-backed companies in the US and 44% of the venture-backed technology and health-care companies that went public last year. And its offerings were vast — ranging from standard checking accounts, to VC investment, to loans, to currency risk management. 

The bank says on its own website: “There are many ways to describe