Highland Capital Partners is a venture capital firm that focuses on investments in seed, early, and growth stage companies in the communications, consumer, digital media, healthcare, and information technology sectors. The firm's partners include: Peter Bell, Sean Dalton, Bob Davis, Richard de Silva, Bob Higgins, John Hsin, Paul Maeder, Fergal Mullen, Corey Mulloy, Dan Nova, Dr. Bijan Salehizadeh, Chuan Thor, and Kuantai Yeh.

Founded in 1988, the company is headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts, and has offices in Menlo Park, California; Geneva, Switzerland; and Shanghai, China.

The Highland Consumer Fund was formed by Highland in 2006 to target retail and consumer products and services investment opportunities. The firm finished fundraising in 2007 with over $300 million of investor commitments, exceeding its $250 million target.

History

Investments and investment funds

Highland typically the first institutional investor in the companies they back.

From inception in 1988 through the middle of 2008, the firm has raised eight venture capital funds with aggregate investor commitments of approximately $2.6 billion:

• 1988 — Highland Capital Partners ($78 million)
• 1992 — Highland Capital Partners II ($86 million)
• 1996 — Highland Capital Partners III ($126 million)
• 1998 — Highland Capital Partners IV ($250 million)
• 2000 — Highland Capital Partners V ($505 million)
• 2001 — Highland Capital Partners VI ($808 million)
• 2006 — Highland Capital Partners VII ($800 million)
• 2007 — Highland Consumer Fund I ($303 million)

Notable investments

The company has invested some $2.5 billion in more than 200 companies since its founding. Among Highland's most notable current and past investments are:

Source: Company website

Current and former employees

In February 2005, Thomas G. Stemberg, the founder and former CEO of Staples joined Highland. Other notable members of the team include Bob Davis, the founder of Lycos, and Wycliffe Grousbeck, who reduced his role in Highland to become managing partner and co-owner of the Boston Celtics. Gaurav Tewari joined the Internet and Digital Media investment team at Highland Capital Partners in 2006, having previously worked at Microsoft, McKinsey, and IBM.

Other

Highland Capital Partners is not affiliated with Highland Capital Management, the multi billion dollar distressed investment firm and hedge fund sponsor and mutual fund manager based in Dallas, Texas.

References

1. Highland Consumer Fund closes on $300m. AltAssets, 11/07/2007
2. About Highland Capital Partners, Inc.
3. Yahoo! Highland Capital Partners, Inc. Company Profile
4. All Portfolio Companies
5. Founder and Former CEO of Staples Joins Highland Capital Partners

• The Rebirth of Venture Capitalism. New York Times, September 24, 2006
• COMPANY NEWS; STAPLES NAMES ITS CHIEF AS CHAIRMAN. New York Times, March 12, 2005

External links

• Highland Capital Partners (company website)
• Businesweek Private Company Profile
• Venture Fund Member Profile