Highland Capital Partners
Encyclopedia
Highland Capital Partners is a venture capital
firm that focuses on investments in seed, early, and growth stage companies in the communications, consumer, digital media, healthcare, and information technology sectors. The firm's partners include: Peter Bell, Sean Dalton, Bob Davis, Richard de Silva, Bob Higgins, John Hsin, Paul Maeder, Fergal Mullen, Corey Mulloy, Dan Nova, Dr. Bijan Salehizadeh, Chuan Thor, and Kuantai Yeh.
Founded in 1988, the company is headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts
, and has offices in Menlo Park, California
; Geneva, Switzerland; and Shanghai, China.
The Highland Consumer Fund was formed by Highland in 2006 to target retail and consumer products and services investment opportunities. The firm finished fundraising in 2007 with over $300 million of investor commitments, exceeding its $250 million target.
From inception in 1988 through the middle of 2009, the firm has raised eight venture capital funds
with aggregate investor commitments of approximately $3 billion:
Source: Company website
, the founder and former CEO of Staples joined Highland. Other notable members of the team include Bob Davis, the founder of Lycos
, Peter Bell the co-founder and CEO of information storage software company StorageNetworks, and Wycliffe Grousbeck
, who reduced his role in Highland to become managing partner and co-owner of the Boston Celtics
. Gaurav Tewari joined the Internet and Digital Media investment team at Highland Capital Partners in 2006, having previously worked at Microsoft
, McKinsey, and IBM
.
, the multi billion dollar distressed
investment firm and hedge fund
sponsor and mutual fund
manager based in Dallas, Texas
.
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
firm that focuses on investments in seed, early, and growth stage companies in the communications, consumer, digital media, healthcare, and information technology sectors. The firm's partners include: Peter Bell, Sean Dalton, Bob Davis, Richard de Silva, Bob Higgins, John Hsin, Paul Maeder, Fergal Mullen, Corey Mulloy, Dan Nova, Dr. Bijan Salehizadeh, Chuan Thor, and Kuantai Yeh.
Founded in 1988, the company is headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,399 at the 2010 census. This town is famous for being the site of the first shot of the American Revolution, in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.- History :...
, and has offices in Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...
; Geneva, Switzerland; and Shanghai, China.
The Highland Consumer Fund was formed by Highland in 2006 to target retail and consumer products and services investment opportunities. The firm finished fundraising in 2007 with over $300 million of investor commitments, exceeding its $250 million target.
Investments and investment funds
Highland is typically the first institutional investor in the companies they back.From inception in 1988 through the middle of 2009, the firm has raised eight venture capital funds
Private equity fund
A private equity fund is a collective investment scheme used for making investments in various equity securities according to one of the investment strategies associated with private equity....
with aggregate investor commitments of approximately $3 billion:
- 1988 — Highland Capital Partners ($78 million)
- 1992 — Highland Capital Partners II ($86 million)
- 1996 — Highland Capital Partners III ($126 million)
- 1998 — Highland Capital Partners IV ($250 million)
- 2000 — Highland Capital Partners V ($505 million)
- 2001 — Highland Capital Partners VI ($808 million)
- 2006 — Highland Capital Partners VII ($800 million)
- 2007 — Highland Consumer Fund I ($303 million)
- 2009 — Highland Capital Partners VIII ($400 million)
Notable investments
The company has invested some $2.5 billion in more than 200 companies since its founding. Among Highland's most notable current and past investments are:Source: Company website
Current and former employees
In February 2005, Thomas G. StembergThomas G. Stemberg
Thomas G. Stemberg is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist and executive, most notable for founding office supply retail chain Staples Inc. with Leo Kahn....
, the founder and former CEO of Staples joined Highland. Other notable members of the team include Bob Davis, the founder of Lycos
Lycos
Lycos, Inc. is a search engine and web portal established in 1994. Lycos also encompasses a network of email, webhosting, social networking, and entertainment websites.-Corporate history:...
, Peter Bell the co-founder and CEO of information storage software company StorageNetworks, and Wycliffe Grousbeck
Wycliffe Grousbeck
Wycliffe "Wyc" Grousbeck is CEO, governor, and co-owner of the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics.After spending seven years as a partner at a venture capital firm, Highland Capital Partners, Grousbeck founded the group Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C...
, who reduced his role in Highland to become managing partner and co-owner of the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. Gaurav Tewari joined the Internet and Digital Media investment team at Highland Capital Partners in 2006, having previously worked at Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, McKinsey, and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
.
Other
Highland Capital Partners is not affiliated with Highland Capital ManagementHighland Capital Management
Highland Capital Management is an Alternative investment management firm that manages hedge funds, structured investment and distressed investment funds. The firm invests in global public equity, fixed income and hedging markets with a focus on leveraged loans, high yield bonds, and structured...
, the multi billion dollar distressed
Distressed securities
Distressed securities are securities of companies or government entities that are either already in default, under bankruptcy protection, or in distress and heading toward such a condition. The most common distressed securities are bonds and bank debt...
investment firm and hedge fund
Hedge fund
A hedge fund is a private pool of capital actively managed by an investment adviser. Hedge funds are only open for investment to a limited number of accredited or qualified investors who meet criteria set by regulators. These investors can be institutions, such as pension funds, university...
sponsor and mutual fund
Mutual fund
A mutual fund is a professionally managed type of collective investment scheme that pools money from many investors to buy stocks, bonds, short-term money market instruments, and/or other securities.- Overview :...
manager based in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
.