U.S. Venture Partners
Encyclopedia
U.S. Venture Partners is a venture capital
investment firm headquartered on Sand Hill Road
in Silicon Valley
focusing on investments in an array of segments including semiconductors, software as a service
, communications, storage, wireless, Internet 2.0, Cleantech, Medical devices and pharmaceuticals.
Since its inception USVP has invested more than $2.7 billion in over 450 companies across a broad range of industries. Seventy-four of these companies have completed an initial public offering
.
in the late 1970s
and early 1980s
.
Bill Bowes, who is the last remaining founding partner at USVP had worked as a venture capitalist prior to USVP working with companies including Cetus
, Raychem Corporation and Dymo Industries. At USVP Bill led the firm's investments in Sun Microsystems, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Applied Biosystems, Devices for Vascular Intervention, Glycomed and Ventritex. Bill was also the founding shareholder of Amgen and the company's first Chairman. He had previously worked for investment banking Blyth Eastman Dillon & Company and later Blyth Eastman Paine Webber
from 1978 until 1980.
Stuart Moldaw was best known for founding Ross Dress for Less
. Robert Sackman was best known for his role in the founding of Sun Microsystems
In 2008, USVP closed its $640m tenth fund (USVP X), which the firm currently investing out of.
and consumer, medical device
s, mobile computing
and communications, semiconductor
s, technical software, telecommunications and 'other'.
, Callaway Golf
, St. Francis Medical, Restoration Hardware
, Ross Stores, Ask Jeeves, Adify, Revolution Money, PetSmart
and SanDisk
.
Other former portfolio companies include 3dfx Interactive, 3ware
, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Applied Micro Circuits Corporation
(AMCC), Artisan Components
, Avenue A
, Blue Martini Software
, Brion, CacheFlow, Cadmos, CardioThoracic Systems, Centillium, Checkpoint Software Technologies, Concur Technologies
, Crescendo Communications, Cryovascular, EPIC Design Technology
, GetThere
, Gymboree, Ilypsa, Leadis Technology, Lynx, Mellanox, MMC Networks, Microvention, NeoMagic
, NetDynamics
, Netro, New Focus, Nuance, PDF Solutions
, QuickLogic
, Rasna, Sagent Technologies, StrataCom, TelCom Semiconductor, Trovix, Ventritex, Verity, Vical, Vontu, Xylan.
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...
investment firm headquartered on Sand Hill Road
Sand Hill Road
Sand Hill Road is a road in Menlo Park, California, notable for its concentration of venture capital companies. Its significance as a symbol of private equity in the United States may be compared to that of Wall Street in the stock market...
in Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
focusing on investments in an array of segments including semiconductors, software as a service
Software as a Service
Software as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...
, communications, storage, wireless, Internet 2.0, Cleantech, Medical devices and pharmaceuticals.
Since its inception USVP has invested more than $2.7 billion in over 450 companies across a broad range of industries. Seventy-four of these companies have completed an initial public offering
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
.
History
Founded by Bill Bowes, Stuart Moldaw and Robert Sackman in 1981, U.S. Venture Partners was an early entrant to the burgeoning venture capital industry in Silicon ValleySilicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
in the late 1970s
Early history of private equity
The early history of private equity relates to one of the major periods in the history of private equity and venture capital. Within the broader private equity industry, two distinct sub-industries, leveraged buyouts and venture capital experienced growth along parallel although interrelated...
and early 1980s
Private equity in the 1980s
Private equity in the 1980s relates to one of the major periods in the history of private equity and venture capital. Within the broader private equity industry, two distinct sub-industries, leveraged buyouts and venture capital experienced growth along parallel although interrelated tracks.The...
.
Bill Bowes, who is the last remaining founding partner at USVP had worked as a venture capitalist prior to USVP working with companies including Cetus
Cetus
Cetus is a constellation. Its name refers to Cetus, a sea monster in Greek mythology, although it is often called 'the whale' today. Cetus is located in the region of the sky that contains other water-related constellations such as Aquarius, Pisces, and Eridanus.-Ecliptic:Although Cetus is not...
, Raychem Corporation and Dymo Industries. At USVP Bill led the firm's investments in Sun Microsystems, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Applied Biosystems, Devices for Vascular Intervention, Glycomed and Ventritex. Bill was also the founding shareholder of Amgen and the company's first Chairman. He had previously worked for investment banking Blyth Eastman Dillon & Company and later Blyth Eastman Paine Webber
Paine Webber
Paine Webber and Company was an American stock brokerage and asset management firm that was acquired by the Swiss bank UBS AG in 2000. The company was founded in 1880 in Boston, Massachusetts, by William Alfred Paine and Wallace G. Webber. Operating with two employees, they leased premises at 48...
from 1978 until 1980.
Stuart Moldaw was best known for founding Ross Dress for Less
Ross Dress For Less
Ross Stores, Inc. , is a chain of American off-price department stores headquartered in Pleasanton, California, operating under the name Ross Dress for Less. It is the third largest off-price retailer in the United States, behind T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, both of which are owned by TJX Companies.As...
. Robert Sackman was best known for his role in the founding of Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
In 2008, USVP closed its $640m tenth fund (USVP X), which the firm currently investing out of.
Portfolio Companies
The firm's current investment portfolio is active in a number of market segments including biopharmaceuticals, cleantech, enterprise applications, enterprise networks and storage, internetInternet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and consumer, medical device
Medical device
A medical device is a product which is used for medical purposes in patients, in diagnosis, therapy or surgery . Whereas medicinal products achieve their principal action by pharmacological, metabolic or immunological means. Medical devices act by other means like physical, mechanical, thermal,...
s, mobile computing
Mobile computing
Mobile computing is a form of human–computer interaction by which a computer is expected to be transported during normal usage. Mobile computing has three aspects: mobile communication, mobile hardware, and mobile software...
and communications, semiconductor
Semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity due to electron flow intermediate in magnitude between that of a conductor and an insulator. This means a conductivity roughly in the range of 103 to 10−8 siemens per centimeter...
s, technical software, telecommunications and 'other'.
- Biopharmaceuticals - Ascenta Therapeutics, Bayhill Therapeutics, Intellikine, Matritech, OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Proteolix Sanarus Medical, Solexa, Talima Therapeutics, Xoma (XOMA)
- Cleantech - Active-Semi, BPT Bio Pure Technology, CFX Battery, Redwood Systems, Solyndra
- Enterprise Applications - @Road@Road@Road is an American company offering "Mobile Resource Management" services to its customers, using GPS, wireless, voice and Internet technologies to deliver Software as a Service to manage fleet vehicles, dispatchers and mobile professionals. @Road is headquartered in Fremont, California...
(ARDI), BeVocal, Check Point Software(CHKP), ClickShift, Commerce5, Guidewire Software, Instantis, M-Factor, NetDynamics, ON24, RelayHealth, Right90, Sagent Technologies, Spoke Software, Trovix, Verity, X1 Technologies
- Enterprise Networks & Storage - 3ware, @Road@Road@Road is an American company offering "Mobile Resource Management" services to its customers, using GPS, wireless, voice and Internet technologies to deliver Software as a Service to manage fleet vehicles, dispatchers and mobile professionals. @Road is headquartered in Fremont, California...
, Akros Silicon, AMCC (AMCC), Asempra Technologies, Astute Networks, Blue Coat Systems (BSCI), Check Point Software (CHKP), CipherMax, CipherTrust, Determina, Force10 Networks, Gear6, Imperva, Intransa, Iomega, MegaPath Networks, MMC Networks, MontaVista Software, Nuance Communications, Redline Communications, SanDiskSanDiskSanDisk Corporation is an American multinational corporation that designs, develops and manufactures data storage solutions in a range of form factors using the flash memory, controller and firmware technologies. It was founded in 1988 by Dr. Eli Harari and Sanjay Mehrotra, non-volatile memory...
(SNDK), Sprout-Clustrix, Stratacom/Cisco (CSCO), VeriWave, Vontu, Xirrus, Xylan (ALU)
- Internet & Consumer - Adify, Ask Jeeves, Avenue A, Blekko, Blue Coat Systems (BSCI), Box.net, Commerce5, Dotomi, Factery, Hooked Media Group, LimeLife, Media6Degrees, Military Advantage, myYearbookMyYearbook-History:myYearbook was initially created by two high school students, David and Catherine Cook, and their older brother Geoff, during Spring Break of 2005. Catherine persuaded Geoff, who founded EssayEdge.com and ResumeEdge.com from a dorm in 1997, to invest in their project...
, ON24, Piczo, Revolution Money Inc., Savings.com, SupplyFrame, Total Beauty, Winster, Zannel, Woodman LabsGoProGoPro is the primary brand of the privately owned Half Moon Bay, California company Woodman Labs that features small "wearable" waterproof and shockproof camera/camcorders such as helmet cameras that are targeted at adventure photography and currently weigh 3.3 oz .According to the company, video...
- Medical Devices - Advanced Cardiovascular, Aerogen , Applied Biosystems (ABI), Aptus Endosystems, AtheroMed, AtriCure (ATRC), CardioKinetix, CryoVascular Systems, Devax, Ensure Medical, Genta (GNTA), Glycomed, GN ReSound, Ilypsa, Integrated Vascular Systems, Intersect ENT (formerly Sinexus), Intuity Medical, Lutonix, MicroHeart, MicroVention, SentreHEART, Sequent Medical, Simpirica Spine, Spectranetics (SPNC), St. Francis Medical Technologies, Synarc, Valeritas, Ventritex, Vical (VICL)
- Mobile Computing & Communications - 4INFO, Axiom Microdevices, Kleer, Micro Linear, MontaVista Software, Redline Communications, SanDiskSanDiskSanDisk Corporation is an American multinational corporation that designs, develops and manufactures data storage solutions in a range of form factors using the flash memory, controller and firmware technologies. It was founded in 1988 by Dr. Eli Harari and Sanjay Mehrotra, non-volatile memory...
(SNDK), SiBEAM, Sierra Monolithics, VeriWave
- Semiconductors - Active-Semi, Agility, Akros Silicon, Alchemy, AMCC (AMCC), Arradiance, Artisan Components, Astute Networks, Axiom Microdevices, Brion Technologies, Centillium Communications, Ciranova, Clear Shape Technologies, Dune Networks, Elantec, Forte Design Systems, Genus (GGNS), Headway Technologies, IC Works, Intermolecular, Kilopass Technology, Kleer, Leadis Technology (LDIS), MaxLinear, Mellanox Technologies (MLNX), Micro Linear, MMC Networks, Neoconix, NeoMagic (NMGC), New Focus, Optichron, Pivotal Systems, Ponte Solutions, SiBEAM, Sierra Monolithics, Silego Technology, Solyndra, Teknovus, Teranetics, T-RAM
- Technical Software - Artisan Components, Ciranova, Clear Shape Technologies, Electric Cloud, Forte Design Systems, Gear6, Headway Technologies, Klocwork, LVL7, MontaVista Software, Nuance Communications, Pivotal Systems, Ponte Solutions, Synfora, think3, ThreatMetrix, Trusteer
- Telecommunications - Agility, Alchemy, Crescendo Communications, Dilithium Networks, Harmonic Lightwaves (HLIT), Minerva Networks, New Focus, Occam Networks (OCNW), Redline Communications, StrataLight, Sun Microsystems, Teknovus
- Other - Callaway GolfCallaway-People:* Ann Hampton Callaway, musician* Catherine Callaway, news anchor* David Callaway, nanophysicist* Dean Callaway, Australian rugby league footballer* Frank Callaway, Australian music educator...
(ELY), Fresh Choice, Object Reservoir, PetsMart (PETM), Photon Dynamics (PHTN)
Sample List of Historical investments
Among the firm's most notable investments are Sun MicrosystemsSun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
, Callaway Golf
Callaway Golf
Callaway Golf Company is a global sporting goods company that designs, manufactures, markets and sells golf equipment, golf accessories and golf lifestyle-related products in more than 70 countries worldwide...
, St. Francis Medical, Restoration Hardware
Restoration Hardware
Restoration Hardware is an American furniture chain of home furnishings, bath fixtures and bathware, functional and decorative hardware and related merchandise. The company defines its wares as classic and authentic American. Restoration Hardware, Inc. sells its merchandise offering through its...
, Ross Stores, Ask Jeeves, Adify, Revolution Money, PetSmart
PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. is a retail chain doing business in the United States and Canada engaged in the sale of specialty pet supplies and services such as grooming and dog training, PetSmart PetsHotel dog and cat boarding facilities and Doggie Day Care.- History :...
and SanDisk
SanDisk
SanDisk Corporation is an American multinational corporation that designs, develops and manufactures data storage solutions in a range of form factors using the flash memory, controller and firmware technologies. It was founded in 1988 by Dr. Eli Harari and Sanjay Mehrotra, non-volatile memory...
.
Other former portfolio companies include 3dfx Interactive, 3ware
3ware
3ware was founded in February 1997 by Mitch Altman, J. Peter Herz and Jim MacDonald. In April 2006, Applied Micro Circuits Corporation acquired 3ware for $150 million in cash and became a AMCC product line brand...
, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Applied Micro Circuits Corporation
Applied Micro Circuits Corporation
Applied Micro Circuits Corporation is a fabless semiconductor company designing network and embedded Power Architecture , and server processor ARM , optical transport and storage solutions...
(AMCC), Artisan Components
ARM Holdings
ARM Holdings plc is a British multinational semiconductor and software company headquartered in Cambridge. Its largest business is in processors, although it also designs, licenses and sells software development tools under the RealView and KEIL brands, systems and platforms, system-on-a-chip...
, Avenue A
Avenue A/Razorfish
Razorfish Inc. is one of the world's largest interactive agencies. Razorfish provides services including digital advertising and content creation, media buying, strategic counsel, analytics, technology and user experience...
, Blue Martini Software
Blue Martini Software
Blue Martini Software was a software manufacturer and professional services provider based in San Mateo, California that sold and supported an e-commerce, contact center, relationship marketing, and clienteling applications to retailers and other consumer-facing companies...
, Brion, CacheFlow, Cadmos, CardioThoracic Systems, Centillium, Checkpoint Software Technologies, Concur Technologies
Concur Technologies
Concur Technologies is a provider of software solutions that automate employee spending management. Its headquarters is in Redmond, Washington, U.S.A.-Current status:More than 10,000 clients in over 90 countries use Concur’s solutions...
, Crescendo Communications, Cryovascular, EPIC Design Technology
Synopsys
Synopsys, Inc. is one of the largest companies in the Electronic Design Automation industry. Synopsys' first and best-known product is Design Compiler, a logic-synthesis tool. Synopsys offers a wide range of other products used in the design of an application-specific integrated circuit...
, GetThere
GetThere
GetThere is a corporate travel reservation system that is owned by Sabre Holdings. GetThere started in 1995 as a web-based booking tool and was acquired by Sabre in August of 2000 for $757 million. Following the acquisition, GetThere merged with the Sabre Business Travel Solutions system...
, Gymboree, Ilypsa, Leadis Technology, Lynx, Mellanox, MMC Networks, Microvention, NeoMagic
NeoMagic
NeoMagic Corporation is a fabless semiconductor company and supplier of low-power audio and video integrated circuits for mobile use...
, NetDynamics
NetDynamics Application Server
NetDynamics Application Server was the first Java-based integrated software platform. The product was developed by NetDynamics Inc., a Silicon Valley start-up company founded in 1995 by Zack Rinat and Ofer Ben-Shachar...
, Netro, New Focus, Nuance, PDF Solutions
PDF Solutions
PDF Solutions is a developer for process-design integration technologies for integrated circuits . They have especially specialized in deep sub-micrometre designs. Their software and services are intended for semiconductor companies that want to improve their manufacturing process and make their...
, QuickLogic
QuickLogic
QuickLogic Corporation is a manufacturer of Customer Specific Standard Products, or CSSP.Until 2007 they were a supplier of Field-Programmable Gate Arrays based on antifuse technology, making the devices one-time programmable...
, Rasna, Sagent Technologies, StrataCom, TelCom Semiconductor, Trovix, Ventritex, Verity, Vical, Vontu, Xylan.
External links
- U.S. Venture Partners (company website)