In the decades following World War II, Route 128 became the geographic spine of the nation’s first high-tech corridor. Fueled by federal defense contracts, proximity to major research universities, and specialized laboratory spaces, this outer-ring highway evolved into a dense network of minicomputer companies, electronic component manufacturers, and defense contractors. Well before the rise of Silicon Valley, the 128 corridor established the regional model for clustering academic talent and venture financing. In these clips, our tech pioneers describe the physical and economic geography of the highway, the unique corporate cultures that emerged, and the collaborative networks that made Greater Boston an undisputed capital of the high-tech world.