Edison had a team of people working for him. I don't know how much you've read about him, but he's not exactly known for being like Tesla.
I'm pretty sure the carbon filament in the light bulb was not Edison's particular creation.
Re:Ideas Matter
by CloudOps42 on Saturday May 28, 2011 @12:29AM
(#2593901)
They all started with a great idea.
Re:Ideas Matter
by chaostheory on Saturday May 28, 2011 @12:52AM
(#2593928)
yes... but that initial great idea doesn't "survive first contact with the enemy".
I'm not sure how the military commanders (or Frank Lloyd Wright) fit into this, but every entrepreneur you listed was very much a "technical founder".