The Breakthrough
After helping lead Hewlett-Packard into computing, Clay founded ROD-L Electronics in 1977 to build electrical-safety test equipment for electronic products.
Why It Matters
His story links two eras that are often told separately: the rise of Silicon Valley computing and the rise of Black technology entrepreneurship inside that same ecosystem.
The Technology
ROD-L focused on high-voltage electrical safety testing—equipment used to verify that electronics would not create shock or fire hazards.
Builder's Lesson
Technical depth can reveal a business opportunity other people overlook. Clay saw a coming safety requirement and built the equipment companies would need to meet it.