MDV--Mohr, Davidow Ventures
MDV--Mohr, Davidow Ventures is a company.
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Leadership Team
Key people at MDV--Mohr, Davidow Ventures.
MDV--Mohr, Davidow Ventures is a company.
Key people at MDV--Mohr, Davidow Ventures.
Mohr Davidow Ventures (MDV) is a venture capital firm founded in 1983, based in San Mateo, California, specializing in early-stage investments in technology startups that redefine or create large markets through big data, analytics, web, and mobile cloud technologies[1][2]. With $1.85 billion in assets under management, MDV's mission centers on partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs in sectors like e-commerce, FinTech, big data & analytics, developer tools, software, cloud tech, social commerce, finance, online marketing, consumer-driven healthcare, and cleantech IT, while providing deep operating support to drive breakthroughs in technology, medicine, and business[1][2][4]. Its investment philosophy emphasizes early engagement with founders who inspire teams and target massive opportunities, fostering companies across pre-seed to Series D stages primarily in the US[1][4]. MDV has profoundly impacted the startup ecosystem through 304 investments, including exits like Agile (acquired by Oracle), Brocade, Coupa (NASDAQ: COUP), Proofpoint, Rambus, Shutterfly, and Verinata Health (acquired by Illumina), backing innovations in renewable energy, solar power, and digital transformation[1][2].
MDV was established in 1983 by Davidow and Mohr as a pioneering early-stage VC firm, evolving over 30+ years from general tech investments to focused initiatives like "Powering the Planet" (energy and cleantech), "Personalizing Medicine" (life sciences), and "Driving the Digital World" (IT, media, advertising)[1][2]. Key partners have included General Partners such as Bill Ericson, Bryan Stolle, Jim Smith, and Jon Feiber, who bring commercial, technical, and scientific expertise to mentor entrepreneurs from ideation onward[4][5]. The firm's evolution highlights strong university ties with Stanford, UC Berkeley, Caltech, Cornell, Harvard, and MIT, yielding investments like Brion Technologies, Nanosolar, Pacific Biosciences, and Energy Innovations—pivotal moments that solidified MDV's reputation for turning academic disruptions into market leaders[2].
MDV rides trends in big data analytics, cloud/mobile scalability, sustainable energy, and personalized healthcare, timing investments to capitalize on digital disruption and cleantech booms since the 1980s[1][2]. Market forces like renewable energy demands ("Powering the Planet" via Nanosolar, Energy Innovations) and AI-driven personalization align with its thesis, amplified by university networks accelerating tech transfer from labs to markets[2]. The firm influences the ecosystem by funding category-defining companies (e.g., Rambus in semiconductors, Rocket Fuel in ad tech), enabling exits that recycle capital into new waves of innovation and setting benchmarks for operator-led VC in early-stage tech[1].
MDV's enduring focus on bold entrepreneurs tackling unsolved problems positions it to thrive in emerging trends like AI-enhanced cleantech, advanced analytics for healthcare, and next-gen cloud infrastructure. With a proven playbook of university-sourced disruptions and post-investment rigor, expect deeper bets in climate tech and digital health amid global sustainability pushes. Its influence will likely grow by mentoring the next cohort of market-redefining startups, echoing its 40-year legacy of partnering with visionaries to build enduring value.
Key people at MDV--Mohr, Davidow Ventures.
