Jean Deleage
Encyclopedia
Dr. Jean Deleage, Ph.D. was an early venture capital
investor responsible for the founding or co-founding of three notable venture capital firms since 1971: Sofinnova
, Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co.
and Alta Partners
.
in 1971 with the formation of Sofinnova
(officially founded in 1972). Five years later, in 1976, Deleage founded Sofinnova’s US business, based in San Francisco, Sofinnova, Inc. In 1997, when Sofinnova split into two firms, the US business would come to be known as Sofinnova Ventures.
In 1979, Deleage, who worked left Sofinnova to co-found a new, bi-coastal venture capital firm Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co.
(BEDCO), with Craig Burr
and William P. Egan
, who had worked together at TA Associates
. BEDCO was one of the largest and most active venture capital firms in the 1980s and early 1990s. Deleage and BEDCO were early investors in a number of notable venture backed companies including Cephalon
, Chiron
and Genentech
. Additionally, Deleage facilitated a significant partnership between BEDCO and Sofinnova, leading to a number of co-investments
.
BEDCO invested in information technology
, communications, and healthcare/biotechnology
companies, and at its zenith managed $700 million in assets. The principals of BEDCO separated in 1995 and 1996, leading Deleage to found Alta Partners
along with Garrett Gruener
, a former partner at BEDCO. Alta Partners is one of several successors to BEDCO founded in the mid-1990s and has raised over $1.9 billion of investor commitments since inception.
.
. In 1993, Deleage was also awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government in recognition of his career accomplishments.
Deleage was a member of the board of directors of Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., TorreyPines Therapeutics, Inc. and several private companies.
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...
investor responsible for the founding or co-founding of three notable venture capital firms since 1971: Sofinnova
Sofinnova
Sofinnova is the name shared by two formerly-related venture capital firms, Sofinnova Ventures and Sofinnova Partners. Both firms trace their roots back to Sofinnova SA, an investment institution founded in Paris in 1972. The two firms have raised nearly $3B combined since inception, and share...
, Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co.
Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co.
Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co. was a venture capital firm which focused on investments in information technology, communications, and healthcare/biotechnology companies....
and Alta Partners
Alta Partners
Alta Partners is a venture capital firm based in San Francisco, CA. The company was founded in 1996 by Dr. Jean Deleage, Ph.D., who was also a founder of the venture capital firms Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co. and Sofinnova, together with Garrett Gruener, a former general partner at BEDCO.The company...
.
Career
Deleage began investing in venture capitalVenture 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...
in 1971 with the formation of Sofinnova
Sofinnova
Sofinnova is the name shared by two formerly-related venture capital firms, Sofinnova Ventures and Sofinnova Partners. Both firms trace their roots back to Sofinnova SA, an investment institution founded in Paris in 1972. The two firms have raised nearly $3B combined since inception, and share...
(officially founded in 1972). Five years later, in 1976, Deleage founded Sofinnova’s US business, based in San Francisco, Sofinnova, Inc. In 1997, when Sofinnova split into two firms, the US business would come to be known as Sofinnova Ventures.
In 1979, Deleage, who worked left Sofinnova to co-found a new, bi-coastal venture capital firm Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co.
Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co.
Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co. was a venture capital firm which focused on investments in information technology, communications, and healthcare/biotechnology companies....
(BEDCO), with Craig Burr
Craig Burr
Craig L. Burr is an early venture capital investor, notable for his role in the founding of two venture capital firms, Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co. in 1979 and Alta Communications in 1996.-Career:...
and William P. Egan
William P. Egan
William P. Egan is the founder and General Partner at Alta Communications, a venture capital firm, and Marion Equity Partners, a private equity firm, both based in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Egan also founded Alta's predecessor firm, Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co...
, who had worked together at TA Associates
TA Associates
TA Associates, founded in 1968, is one of the oldest private equity firms in the United States. The firm employs a hybrid strategy making growth capital investments in developing companies and acquiring mature companies through leveraged buyout and recapitalization transactions...
. BEDCO was one of the largest and most active venture capital firms in the 1980s and early 1990s. Deleage and BEDCO were early investors in a number of notable venture backed companies including Cephalon
Cephalon
Cephalon, Inc. is a U.S. biopharmaceutical company co-founded in 1987 by Dr. Frank Baldino, Jr., a pharmacologist and former scientist with the DuPont Company, who served as the company's chairman and chief executive officer until his death in December 2010...
, Chiron
Chiron
In Greek mythology, Chiron was held to be the superlative centaur among his brethren.-History:Like the satyrs, centaurs were notorious for being wild and lusty, overly indulgent drinkers and carousers, given to violence when intoxicated, and generally uncultured delinquents...
and Genentech
Genentech
Genentech Inc., or Genetic Engineering Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology corporation, founded in 1976 by venture capitalist Robert A. Swanson and biochemist Dr. Herbert Boyer. Trailing the founding of Cetus by five years, it was an important step in the evolution of the biotechnology industry...
. Additionally, Deleage facilitated a significant partnership between BEDCO and Sofinnova, leading to a number of co-investments
Equity co-investment
An equity co-investment is a minority investment, made directly into an operating company, alongside a financial sponsor or other private equity investor, in a leveraged buyout, recapitalization or growth capital transaction. In certain circumstances, venture capital firms may also seek...
.
BEDCO invested in information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
, communications, and healthcare/biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
companies, and at its zenith managed $700 million in assets. The principals of BEDCO separated in 1995 and 1996, leading Deleage to found Alta Partners
Alta Partners
Alta Partners is a venture capital firm based in San Francisco, CA. The company was founded in 1996 by Dr. Jean Deleage, Ph.D., who was also a founder of the venture capital firms Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co. and Sofinnova, together with Garrett Gruener, a former general partner at BEDCO.The company...
along with Garrett Gruener
Garrett Gruener
Garrett Gruener is founder of Ask.com and a co-founder of Alta Partners, a venture capital firm. He was also a candidate for the 2003 California recall special election from the Democratic Party, finishing 28th in a field of 135 candidates with 2,562 votes....
, a former partner at BEDCO. Alta Partners is one of several successors to BEDCO founded in the mid-1990s and has raised over $1.9 billion of investor commitments since inception.
Education
Jean received a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from the École Supérieure d'Électricité and a Ph.D. in Economics from the SorbonneUniversity of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
.
Other affiliations
In 1984, Dr. Deleage was awarded the Ordre National du MeriteOrdre National du Mérite
The Ordre national du Mérite is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle...
. In 1993, Deleage was also awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government in recognition of his career accomplishments.
Deleage was a member of the board of directors of Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., TorreyPines Therapeutics, Inc. and several private companies.
External links
- Company profile at BioSpace
- December 17, 2007: Alta Partners invest $25 million investment in Anesiva, (Nasdaq:ANSV)
- A Generation Gap in Venture Capital
- Gupta, Udayan. Done Deals: Venture Capitalists Tell Their Stories, 2000
- Venture-Capital Firms Prepare for Next Generation of Partners
- Jean Deleage (Forbes Profile)