Venture Profile
Learn valuable lessons about building great software companies from the wins and failures of the industry’s top Venture Capitalists via these candid interviews.
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Venture Profile: Mike Kwatinetz, Azure Capital Partners
Interview Published: January 2008
With a background in public policy, moving into the political realm may have
seemed like a more logical step. But for Matt McIlwain, Managing Director at
Madrona Venture Group, the business sector proved to be a more appealing place
to apply his degree. Angel Mehta, Managing Director of Sterling-Hoffman, talks
to Matt McIlwain about car parts in a high tech world, building an ensemble
cast, and offshore customers. |
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Venture Profile: Mike Kwatinetz, Azure Capital Partners
Interview Published: December 2007
When it comes to running your own company, most people would stay with it until
the end. But if you’re Paul Margolis, retiring when you’re at the top of game is
the best move. Sterling-Hoffman Managing Director, Angela Mehta, talks to
former-CEO of Marcam Corporation and founder of Longworth Ventures, Paul
Margolis, about mistakes, presidents and getting other people to do your work. |
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Venture Profile: David Hornik August Capital
Interview Published: November 2007
The founders of August Capital were responsible for investing in some of the
biggest technology companies the world has ever known, including Microsoft, SUN
and Compaq. Angel Mehta, Managing Director of Sterling-Hoffman, chats with David
Hornik, an investor whose background includes a degree in Computer Music, about
investment philosophies and entrepreneurs. |
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Venture Profile: Mike Kwatinetz, Azure Capital Partners
Interview Published: August 2007
Formerly one of Wall Street’s top technology analysts, Mike Kwatinetz built his
investment strategy around a seemingly unique approach in the world of high tech
investing: the use of facts and rationality. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at
Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Mike Kwatinetz about his once controversial take on
Apple, the value of ignoring other people’s opinions, and the importance of
forgetting the past in venture capital investing. |
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John Abraham, Kodiak Venture Partners
Interview Published: February 2007
It’s unusual to find a venture investor convincing software companies to go for funding rounds. The companies John Abraham, a General Partner of Kodiak Venture Partners, funded didn’t need money, as they were pretty near break even when he found them. It took quite a while for John to sell his way into the deal– the gorilla way. Angel Mehta, Managing Director of Sterling-Hoffman, talks to John Abraham about the ‘friends and family’ network, the trust he places in a CEO of the company he invests in and on why there is no platform change in the horizon for the software industry.
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Susan Mason, ONSET Ventures
Interview Published: November 2006
Susan Mason entered the world of venture capital at the start of the first bubble, witnessed and navigated the crash, and is now enjoying venture capital's renaissance. Angel Mehta, Managing Director of Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Susan Mason, General Partner at ONSET Ventures, about her search for startups with 'stand-alone' potential, the frustration of trying to help big companies launch their own startups, and why the CIO isn't always the best source of intelligence about what's happening in IT departments.
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Fred Sturgis, H.I.G. Ventures
Interview Published: October 2006
After co-founding Hambrecht & Quist’s technology investment banking group and leading the firm’s East Coast software practice, Fred Sturgis moved even closer to the action when he joined H.I.G. Ventures. Angel Mehta, Managing Director of Sterling-Hoffman, sat down with Fred Sturgis to get the latest on software venture capital.
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Joyce Chung, Cardinal Venture Capital
Interview Published: September 2006
Can 'corporate venture capital' really work? Joyce Chung left Adobe Ventures to form her own venture fund when she realized that there was too much exciting stuff in the world that had nothing to do with Adobe's core business. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Joyce Chung about why Adobe seemed impervious to the software downturn, the founding of Cardinal Ventures, and hot new investment areas.
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Todd Pietri, Milestone Venture Partners
Interview Published: February 2006
Venture capital investors like Todd Pietri have no choice but to become experts in the art of the start-up. But ever wonder how start-up investors start up? Launching a venture fund comes with all the challenges that regular entrepreneurs face. Todd Pietri, Founding Partner of Milestone Venture Partners, chats with Angel Mehta, Managing Director of Sterling-Hoffman about getting started in the venture business, and why 'being impatient for profits' can still go hand in hand with aggressive growth.
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Bill Tai, Charles River Ventures
Interview Published: December 2005
In the early 90s Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, driving the U.S. economy into shambles. In that chaotic environment, Bill Tai thought it would be fun to return to his roots - working with technology startups as a venture capitalist. Since then, as a VC, he has funded over 30 startups with great results - roughly half of his projects have grown to become public companies. Angel Mehta, Managing Director of Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Bill to discuss several subjects - the biggest mistakes that entrepreneurs make when trying to secure venture capital, some of the interesting 'business problems' he has funded, and why startups are fun.
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John Fisher, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
Interview Published: July 2005
A win-win-win-win-win business is how John Fisher describes the world of venture capital. A founding partner of renowned venture firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ), his passion for venture capital remains obvious – even after witnessing multiple boom-bust cycles. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, met with John Fisher to discuss why his least favorite part of venture investing, why DFJ continues to pursue high-risk deals, and the possible end of enterprise software as a growth industry.
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Jim Gauer, Palomar Ventures
Interview Published: May 2005
Growing up in a family of technology entrepreneurs, Jim Gauer wanted to be anything but. Yet somehow, the world of venture capital is where this part-time poet ended up. Angel Mehta, Managing Director of Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Jim Gauer about investing in two guys and a dog, the one skill entrepreneurs so badly need yet rarely possess, and his search for people with 'pessimism of the intellect; optimism of the will.'
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Jo Tango, Highland Capital Partners
Interview Published: March 2005
After an intense tour of duty through Asia, Jo Tango turned down an opportunity to work for Jeff Bezos at Amazon.com before landing with Highland Capital Partners - despite a vow to stay away from ‘investor jobs’. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Jo Tango about the consequences of consolidation for software CEOs, the emergence of China and India as technology superpowers, and why baseball players might make better venture investors than golfers.
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Art Marks, Valhalla Partners
Interview Published: November 2004
Tired and frustrated with a mode of investing he could not bring himself to believe in, Art Marks ‘retired’ from the world of venture capital, only to return with a renewed passion after a ‘Jerry Maguire’-style moment of inspiration. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Art Marks about the creation of Valhalla Partners, and learns why those who cannot pass the tests of the entrepreneurial quest may never be allowed to turn back.
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Jay Hoag, Technology Crossover Ventures
Interview Published: October 2004
For a technology-focused venture capital firm founded in 1995, Technology Crossover Ventures has displayed the kind of investment discipline that would make Warren Buffet proud, refusing to chase the dotcom startups that defined the the bubble years. Instead, the fund focused on its core competency of expansion stage deals, investing in the likes of Ariba, OpenText, Actuate, and RealNetworks - well after the seed-stage risk had passed, but still in time to reap huge returns for it's Limited Partners. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, talks to TCV co-founder Jay Hoag about the irrelevance of a person’s bank account, and the biggest misconception about late-stage investors.
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Stu Schuster, Novus Ventures
Interview Published: September 2004
Stu Schuster knows a thing or two about chasing the impossible dream: he led Marketing for a $5m startup called Sybase in the late eighties and took dead aim at Oracle - which had already become a $100m market leader. Is it still possible to build a billion dollar software company? Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, talks with Stu Schuster about the unpredictability of success, why it's so hard to grow a software company these days, and his biggest pet peeve about entrepreneurs.
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Skip Glass, Canaan Partners
Interview Published: August 2004
Operating executives who cross over to the world of venture capital rarely return. The airplane food… the quarterly pressure to ‘make the number’… the day-to-day grind just begins to seem like too much trouble. So why did Skip Glass leave the venture world for startup hell? Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Canaan Partners’ Skip Glass about China, the need for ‘young blood’, and why he’s moved in and out of venture capital (and then back in again).
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Rami Kalish, Pitango Venture Capital
Interview Published: July 2004
After successful stints with IBM and Orbotech, Rami Kalish returned to Israel and became a pioneer in the country's still nascent high-technology industry. 10 years later, the world of Israeli venture capital is garnering more attention than ever from silicon valley funds, and the investment firm founded by Kalish has emerged as a leader. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, talks with Rami Kalish about the promises and perils of investing in Israel.
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Paul Maeder Interview, Highland Capital Partners
Interview Published: June 2004
Most Venture Investors argue that the best approach to early stage investing is to go for the home run. Yet Highland Capital's founding Partner Paul Maeder suggests that just as much success can be had via the 'Wade Boggs' approach. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Paul Maeder about the value of base hits, pushing the choke level, and why he could care less about the lack of 'white space' in enterprise software.
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Andreas Stavropoulos, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
Interview Published: May 2004
Andreas Stavropoulos joined Draper Fisher Jurvetson after a stint at McKinsey & Co., so why does he think that management consultants aren’t cut out for the venture capital world? Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman Executive Search, sat down with Andreas Stavropoulos to talk about angry entrepreneurs, and why ‘weird’ investment opportunities are sometimes the best.
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David Lane, Diamondhead Ventures
Interview Published: April 2004
When David Lane co-founded Diamondhead Ventures in 2000, part of the plan was to extract golden opportunities straight out of Academia. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, chats with David Lane about the challenges of evaluating first-time entrepreneurs, the value of having a world-class partner network, and why every engineer needs a tour of duty in the Sales arena.
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Timothy Haley, Redpoint Ventures
Interview Published: March 2004
If great people are the key to success in the enterprise, it seems surprising that Tim Haley is one of only a tiny handful of Venture Investors with a background in Executive Search. Haley joined Institutional Venture Partners in 1997 before co-founding Redpoint Ventures in 1999. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Tim Haley about the value of a network, and what it means for a CEO to have the right DNA.
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Oliver Curme, Battery Ventures
Interview Published: February 2004
Joining the venture capital game in 1985, 10 years before the internet bubble got underway, gave Oliver Curme something that would prove remarkably useful in dealing with the fallout: perspective. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Oliver Curme about the ‘get out of jail free’ card, and what every CEO should know about raising capital (hint: managing venture investors is like herding sheep).
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Bill Reichert, Garage Technology Ventures
Interview Published: January 2004
After stints at McKinsey and several entrepreneurial endeavors, Bill Reichert joined the hybrid venture firm / investment bank known as Garage Technology Ventures, working alongside famed high-tech evangelist Guy Kawasaki. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Bill Reichert about the value of keeping business models simple, and why the smartest people don’t always make the best CEO’s.
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Aneel Bhusri, Greylock
Interview Published: December 2003
After leaving Morgan Stanley, Aneel Bhusri joined PeopleSoft in an entry-level position and found himself working for none other than legendary entrepreneur, Dave Duffield. By the time Bhusri joined Greylock, he had become PeopleSoft's Vice Chairman. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, talks to Greylock's Aneel Bhusri about why he avoids celebrity CEO's, and the myth of the billion dollar startup.
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Bruce Golden, Accel Partners
Interview Published: October 2003
After spending the bubble years with Accel Partners’ silicon valley office, Bruce Golden moved his family to London to help launch Accel Europe. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Bruce Golden about the importance of empathy, and the challenges of international early stage venture investing.
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Geoff Moore, Mohr-Davidow Ventures
Interview (Part II) Published: September 2003
Phrases like 'Crossing the Chasm' and 'Inside the Tornado' have become staples of software CEO vocabulary; so deeply embedded into high tech strategy that no business plan seems complete without a section on how to solve the problems they represent. In part 2 of this two part series, Mohr-Davidow's Geoff Moore talks to Angel Mehta about his induction into the world of venture capital, upcoming tornados, and the daunting challenges faced by early stage application software companies in a gorilla dominated marketplace.
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Geoff Moore, Mohr-Davidow Ventures
Interview (Part I) Published: August 2003
Phrases like ‘Crossing the Chasm’ and ‘Inside the Tornado’ have become staples of software CEO vocabulary; so deeply embedded into high tech strategy that no business plan seems complete without a section on how to solve the problems they represent. In the first of this 2 part interview, Geoff Moore talks to Angel Mehta about the challenges of corporate transformation, competing in a maturing market, and the human challenges of redefining a software company throughout various stages of market evolution.
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Mark Sherman, Battery Ventures
Interview Published: July 2003
Mark Sherman led one of the most prolific software investment banking practices of the 1990's as Managing Director at Robertson- Stephens, handling everything from IPO's to M&A activity for companies like BEA, Siebel, JD Edwards, and Broadvision. But in 2000, he gave in to a desire to work more closely with entrepreneurs and joined Battery Ventures as a General Partner. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, chats with Mark Sherman about the future of software, the ‘scrappiness’ factor, and skating to where the puck is going – not where it’s been.
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Tom Kippola, Voyager Capital
Interview Published: June 2003
The best CEO's will admit that only 50% of the value from 'venture capital' comes from the capital itself. The primary benefit of involving venture investors is supposed to be the domain expertise and network that come from years of company building experience. Voyager Capital gave it's portfolio companies an edge when the firm added a thought leader from The Chasm Group - one of the high tech industry's most well respected strategy consulting firms. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, sat down with Tom Kippola, to discuss his dual career and why companies associated with both sides win in the end.
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Terry Garnett, Venrock Associates
Interview Published: May 2003
After serving four years as Oracle's SVP of Marketing, Terry Garnett left to pursue a passion for investing in and nurturing startups. His personal early stage investments in Siebel and Checkpoint rank among the software industry’s biggest success stories. After joining Venrock in 1995, his string of hits continued with key investments in NEON, Crossworlds, and NIKU. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, sat down with Terry Garnett to talk about growing up in silicon valley, the value of going broke, and why ‘pedigree’ and entrepreneurial success don’t necessarily go hand in hand.
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Amal Johnson, Lightspeed Venture Partners
Interview Published: April 2003
Having successfully climbed the ranks at supply chain software leader BAAN (where she would eventually serve as President of the Americas), Amal Johnson found a new challenge in the world of early stage venture investing after joining Lightspeed Venture Partners in 1999. All of a sudden, the rules of the game changed: for the first time, winning meant slowing down. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, talks with Amal Johnson about the transition from 'Leader' to 'Coach.'
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Bob Davoli, Sigma Partners
Interview Published: March 2003
Most venture partners are information junkies – so why does Bob Davoli avoid trade publications and analyst reports like the plague? One need only spend a few minutes in conversation with Bob Davoli to realize that he is unique. Having joined Boston-based Sigma Partners in ‘95, Davoli has all the energy and intensity you’d expect of an early stage venture investor and successful entrepreneur. But it’s his political views that may surprise you. Angel Mehta, Managing Director at Sterling-Hoffman, talks to Bob Davoli about pitfalls for venture investors, finding great ideas, and social responsibility.
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