I used Steve Jobs because he's about the most popular person in the Valley now, and I used him in the beginning of the essay.

Edison's R&D lab itself relied on lots of other skilled engineers (Tesla included at one time).

Tesla, out of all the engineers I know, does stand out as someone who did work solo. Even he though needed Westinghouse to manufacture and sell much of his work, and many funders to fund it all. Plus, I think in some ways Tesla may be a mediocre role model given how supremely intelligent he was (it seemed like more than the other two). This has meant that I personally have found it difficult to emulate him.