Khosla Ventures
Private | |
Industry | Private equity |
Founded | 2004 |
Founder | Vinod Khosla |
Headquarters | Menlo Park, California, United States |
Products | Venture capital |
Total assets | $1.3+ billion |
Website | www.khoslaventures.com |
Khosla Ventures is an American venture capital firm focused on early stage companies in the Internet, computing, mobile, silicon technology and clean technology sectors that was founded by Vinod Khosla.[1][2]
The firm is based in Menlo Park, California, and manages approximately $1.3 billion of investor capital as well as earlier funds funded by Khosla.
History
The firm was founded in 2004 by Vinod Khosla, a former general partner of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. The firm's first two investment vehicles were funded with Khosla's own personal capital and were not open to institutional investors. In March 2009, Pierre Lamond became General Partner.[3] In December 2009, Khosla completed fundraising for two new funds, to invest in cleantech and information technology start-ups.
Khosla Ventures Fund III secured $1 billion of investor commitments to invest in traditional early stage and growth stage companies. Khosla also raised $300 million for Khosla Seed, which will invest in higher-risk opportunities and science experiments.[4] The firm has invested in bio-refineries for energy and bioplastics, solar, wind, battery, engines, LED, HVAC efficiency and other environmentally friendly technologies.[5][6] The company focuses on technology risk based investing in very large markets.
Some companies funded by Khosla Ventures include: Tapingo, Academia.edu, Amyris, Bloom Energy, DB Networks, EcoMotors, GreatPoint Energy, Panzura, SeaMicro, Cogenra Solar, Snip.it, Relcy and Thync. [7][8]
As of October 2015, Khosla Ventures is one of the five largest and most active investors in the space sector, which has had over US$10 billion of private capital invested in it since 2005.[9]
References
- ↑ Lacy, Sarah (July 3, 2009). "Vinod Khosla, Risk Junkie". TechCrunch.
- ↑ "Bloomberg Businessweek Profile". Businessweek.com.
- ↑ Marshall, Matt (3 March 2009). "Pierre Lamond, the VC who scared the YouTube guys, joins Khosla". VentureBeat. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
- ↑ Khosla Ventures piles up $1 billion for green tech. cnet news, September 1, 2009
- ↑ Venture Firm’s ‘Green’ Funds Top $1 Billion. New York Times, August 31, 2009
- ↑ Wauters, Robin (May 19, 2011). "Khosla Ventures Is Raising, Like, A Billion Dollars". TechCrunch.
- ↑ "Relcy Is Building A PageRank-Style Mobile App Search Engine With $9M From Khosla And Sequoia". TechCrunch. 17 July 2014.
- ↑ Darrell, Larry (9 October 2014). "Thync Raises $13 Million In Funding Led By Khosla Ventures; Combines Neuroscience And Consumer Tech". Bidnessetc.
- ↑ Nordrum, Amy (2015-10-09). "Space Advocate Makes Business Case For Private Company Exploration Of Extraterrestrial Resources". International Business Times. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
- Khosla Ventures Goes Retro for New Blood. New York Times, March 3, 2009
- Venture capital firm embraces green technology. New York Times: Spotlight