Benchmark Capital 1278447 225194006 2008-07-12T11:33:38Z Gych 235062 /* Team */ linked straight to Yelp Inc '''Benchmark Capital''' is a [[venture capital]] firm responsible for the early stage funding of some very successful [[startups]], including [[eBay]]. In 1997, the firm invested $6.7 million in eBay, which became worth more than $5 billion by the spring of 1999 and resulted in one of Silicon Valley's best-performing investments ever <ref>[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB72271728B4A26&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM]</ref>. Benchmark Capital is unusual in that its partners are compensated equally, rather than using the standard venture capital "star" model. The firm was made popular by their successes in venture capital as well as the book ''eBoys'' by Randall Stross. ==Investments== Benchmark has invested in more than 150 startups since its inception in 1995, including Infinera, [[MySQL]], [[OpenTable]], [[Second Life]], [[Tellme Networks]], [[Yelp, Inc.]], and [[Zillow]], as well as franchise companies like [[eBay]], [[Juniper Networks]], and [[Red Hat]]. The firm manages nearly $3 billion in committed capital and has been widely recognized for its commitment to [[open source]].<ref>[http://www.cnet.com/8301-13505_1-9907679-16.html]</ref> Other notable investments include [[AOL]], [[1-800-Flowers]], eBags,[[Friendster]], [[JAMDAT]], [[MetaCafe]], [[Palm Computing]], [[Seeking Alpha]], and [[Zipcar]].<ref>[http://www.benchmark.com/portfolio/worldwide.shtml "Benchmark Worldwide Portfolio"]</ref> Recent Exits: *[[MySQL]] (acquired by Sun) *[[Tellme Networks]] (acquired by Microsoft) *Ingenio (acquired by AT&T) *[[Zimbra]] (acquired by Yahoo!) *Entrisphere (acquired by Ericcson) *[[Good Technology]] (acquired by Motorola) *[[Business.com]] (acquired by R.H. Donnelly) *Vontu (acquired by Symantec) *Infinera (INFN) New Investments: *[[Coverity]] *EngineYard *[[FriendFeed]] *Kalido *ManiaTV *[[Metaweb]] *Move Networks *New Relic *Numobiq *[[Pentaho]] *[[Prosper.com]] *[[Rebtel]] *[[Seeking Alpha]] *Splashpower *SpringSource *[[Vivox]] *Zuora ==Team== The firm is made up of the following members: '''General Partners''' *Bruce Dunlevie -- investments include: Accept.com (acquired by Amazon.com), [[Good Technology]] (acquired by Motorola), [[Handspring (company)|Handspring]] (acquired by Palm), and Pure Digital Technologies *[[Bill Gurley]] -- investments include: [[Second Life]], [[OpenTable]], [[Vudu]], [[Nanosolar]], and [[Zillow]] <ref>[http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/99/biz_08midas_John-William-Gurley_NUR6.html],</ref> *Kevin Harvey -- investments include: [[Tellme Networks]] (sold to Microsoft), [[Zimbra]] (sold to Yahoo!), Ingenio (sold to AT&T), [[MySQL]] (sold to Sun for $1 billion)<ref>[http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/99/biz_08midas_Kevin-R-Harvey_4PPY.html]</ref> *[[Bob Kagle]]-- investments include [[eBay]] (EBAY), [[mint.com]], [[prosper.com]], [[Gaia Online]], [[Jamba Juice]], and [[Zipcar]]<ref>[http://ca.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idCAN2744438320080327]</ref> *Peter Fenton -- investments include: [[FriendFeed]], [[EngineYard]], [[Pentaho]], [[Polyvore]], [[Coremetrics]], [[XenSource]], SpringSource, [[Yelp, Inc.]], Zuora, and [[Zimbra]] <ref>[http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/99/biz_08midas_Peter-Fenton_ZR0N.html]</ref> *Alex Balkanski -- investments include: Infinera (INFN), Entrisphere (sold to Ericsson), Ambarella, and [[Mu Security]]<ref>[http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/99/biz_08midas_Alexandre-Balkanski_7HJR.html]</ref> *Steve Spurlock -- operating partner who runs day-to-day operations and acts as counsel to the firm *[[Mitch Lasky]] -- investments include: Numobiq, [[Vivox]], and a new [[Ruby on Rails]] company -- Engine Yard '''Partners''' *David Beirne *Andy Rachleff '''Venture Partner''' *Rich Barton '''Benchmark Israel Partners''' *Michael Eisenberg -- investments include: Conduit, Clarizen, Digital Fuel, Finjan, Funtactix, G.ho.st, Gigya, Gurunet (Amex GRU), Picturevison (acquired: EK), Seeking Alpha, Shopping.com (Nasdaq: EBAY), Tradeum (acquired: VERT), Tunewiki, Xacct (acquired: DOX), and Zlango. *Arad Naveh -- investments include: Broadlight, Compass-EOS, Finjan Software, Metacafe, Mirage, Oplus Technologies (acquired by Intel), OpTun (acquired by NeoPhotonics), Panaya, RaySat, Resolute Networks, Sentrigo, Skybox Security, Vollee, Wilocity, and Xeround. *Elie Wurtman -- investments include: Double Fusion (Former Chairman of the Board), FilesX, Game Array, Gizmoz, GreenRoad Technologies, Funtactix, and Power Challenge. '''EIRs'''<ref>[http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9873064-7.html?tag=more][http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/benchmark-capital-adds-four-technology-executives,281218.shtml],</ref> *Rob Bearden <ref>[http://venturebeat.com/2008/03/25/benchmark-entrepreneur-talks-making-money-from-open-source/]</ref> *Mike Cassidy *Lewis Cirne *Dave Finnigan *Dave Goldberg *[[Keith Krach]] *Sarah Leary *Nirav Tolia ''Former EIRs Jim Norris and Bret Taylor left Benchmark to found and run [[FriendFeed]]''<ref>[http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/25/friendfeed-raises-5-million-now-open-to-everyone/]</ref> ==Additional Information== {{cite book |author=Randall E. Stross |title=eBoys : The First Inside Account of Venture Capitalists at Work |publisher=[[Ballantine Books]] |location=[[New York]] |year=2001 |pages=352 |isbn=0-345-42889-7 |oclc= |doi=}} *[http://www.benchmark.com/ Benchmark Capital] *[http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=515515588 Backing Tech Winners] *[http://iinnovate.blogspot.com/2006/07/andy-rachleff-co-founder-of-benchmark.html Andy Rachleff podcast interview on iinnovate] *[http://www.abovethecrowd.com/ Bill Gurley's Above the Crowd Newsletter / Blog] == References == # [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB72271728B4A26&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM eBay's IPO Return Is Just Peanuts To Some ] # [http://www.cnet.com/8301-13505_1-9907679-16.html Open-Source Venture Investing Hits an All-Time High] # [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/99/biz_08midas_John-William-Gurley_NUR6.html Forbes Midas List -- John William Gurley] # [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/99/biz_08midas_Kevin-R-Harvey_4PPY.html Forbes Midas List -- Kevin Harvey] # [http://ca.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idCAN2744438320080327 eBay's Early Backer to Leave Board of Directors] # [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/99/biz_08midas_Peter-Fenton_ZR0N.html Forbes Midas List -- Peter Fenton] # [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/99/biz_08midas_Alexandre-Balkanski_7HJR.html Forbes Midas List -- Alexandre Balkanski] # [http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9873064-7.html?tag=more Benchmark Adds Open Source Savvy Entrepreneurs In Residence] # [http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/benchmark-capital-adds-four-technology-executives,281218.shtml Benchmark Capital Adds Four Technology Executives] # [http://venturebeat.com/2008/03/25/benchmark-entrepreneur-talks-making-money-from-open-source/ Benchmark Entrepreneur Talks Making Money from Open Source] # [http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/25/friendfeed-raises-5-million-now-open-to-everyone/ FriendFeed Raises $5 Million, Now Open To Everyone] <br><!--Extra space before templates--> {{Private equity firms}} [[Category:Venture capital firms]]