Apple Centennial State - beginner Steve Wozniak is facing a million - dollar lawsuit for allegedly slip the idea to make a Woz - branded tech school , according to a weekendInsider report .
Connecticut business professor Ralph Reilly claims he and Wozniak harmonise to establish a “ tech university ” and sealed the bargain with an on - photographic camera handshaking in 2011 . The educational platform , which was aimed at teaching grownup computer and other proficient skills , would lean intemperately on Wozniak ’s name and repute as a key engineering force in Apple ’s early days for branding aim .
However , the partnership never got off the ground , Reilly say in court filings critique by Gizmodo and Insider . Wozniak become on to launch virtually the same idea under the name Woz uracil in 2017 after partnering with the code - learning house Coder Camps . In response , Reilly attain out to Wozniak via electronic mail asking to be a part of the venture , according to court filing .
Photo: Hannes Magerstaedt (Getty Images)
“ It ’s exactly what I envisioned for Woz Institute of Technology when I first approached you with the idea , ” Reilly wrote at the clip .
“ You are right on the bell ringer , ” Wozniak responded . “ You had the right idea … I doubt it would have happened without your initial idea ! ”
But when Reilly pushed back ask for partial possession in the project , he was met with wireless silence . Reilly go on sue Wozniak for alleged intellectual property theft and right of first publication violation . He ’s seeking at least $ 1 million in rilievo and legal injury . Other charge Reilly ’s brought against Wozniak such as rift of contract have already been dismissed by a justice .
Insider reports that Reilly first approached him with the idea via e-mail in September 2010 . As the two gibe over the next few months , at one point Reilly asked if Wozniak would deal indorse him to set up “ the Woz Institute of Technology , ” accord to court filing . Wozniak concur to both the approximation and the use of his name for the project in an emailed response .
At the aforementioned photo op in 2011 , Reilly presented Wozniak with a contract yield an online schooltime in Connecticut willing to ferment with them the right to use Wozniak ’s name and image for the “ Woz School of Technology ” in interchange for quarterly payment . In a screenshot partake in by Insider , what see like Wozniak ’s signature tune appears on an image of the contract presented in court filing . In his deposit , Wozniak claimed he did n’t remember signing the document but did n’t dispute it was his signature .
However , that business deal finally descend through , as did several others Reilly follow up on with additional establishment , at which peak Wozniak ’s team began to outstrip itself from the projection . When Reilly launched a mock - up website for the Woz Institute of Technology in 2013 , Wozniak ’s manager , Ken Hardesty , take it be taken down and told him to cease contacting Wozniak immediately . Since Reilly obtained right of first publication protective cover for this internet site , it ’s now at the meat of his million - one dollar bill right of first publication lawsuit .
For his part , Wozniak ’s team claims the two never reached a substantial flock on the proposal of marriage and the said on - camera handshaking was just one of multitudinous photo - ops he regularly conducts with sports fan . According to a legal deposition reviewed by Insider , a key element of Wozniak ’s United States Department of Defense is that he takes a hands - off approach to his business dealing and instead leaves contract bridge dialogue to other members of his team . Even in his deal with Coder Camps , Wozniak did n’t provide “ any curriculum , ideas on programs , schedules or anything else ” to Woz U , his lawyers wrote in the filing .
To wit , when asked by lawyer whether Coder Camps paid him $ 1 million for his association with Woz U , Wozniak take he could n’t recall whether he was give for the deal , though his manager later confirmed he welcome the John Cash .
“ One thing I avoid in life is anything having to do with money , ” Wozniak say according to the filing . “ I just do n’t take care at it … I would n’t know how much is in our bank history . My life is very different than most people . ”
The copyright infraction slip goes to run next calendar month in Arizona , and Wozniak has been call to the stand to testify , Insider reports . The three - day jury trial is scheduled to start on June 7 .
AppleSteve JobsSteve WozniakTechnology
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