Board of Directors
Chairman: Jeff Pulver
Pulver.com
Jeff Pulver is the Chairman and Founder of pulver.com, and one of the true pioneers of the VoIP industry and a leader in the emerging TV on the Net industry. Leveraging well over a decade of hands-on experience in Internet/IP communications and innovation, Mr. Pulver is a globally renowned thought leader, author and entrepreneur. His blog is well read within the IP Communications Industry and in high-tech communities around the world. He is the publisher of The Pulver Report and and creator of the industry standard Voice on the Net (VON) events. Additionally, Mr. Pulver is the founder of FWD, the VON Coalition, PrimeTimeRewind.TV, Vivox and is the co-founder of VoIP provider, Vonage.
On February 12, 2004, Mr. Pulver's petition for clarification declaring Free World Dialup as an unregulated information service was granted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This landmark decision by the FCC was the first decision it made on IP communications to date. Now referred to as "the Pulver Order", the ruling provides important clarification that computer-to-computer VoIP service is not a telecommunications service. By doing this, the FCC delivered a strong signal to consumers and capital markets that the FCC is not interested in subjecting end-to-end IP Communications services to traditional voice telecommunications regulation under the Communications Act.
Jeff Pulver has been profiled in: The Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune, Business Week, Boston Globe, National Post, Newsweek and the Washington Post.
Jeff Pulver's expertise is widely utilized throughout the communications and Internet industries, which has now extended into the critical public policy arena, both nationally and internationally. In addition to his work with the FCC, Mr. Pulver has testified before the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the United States Congress, the National Association of Regulatory and Utility Commissioners (NARUC) as well as numerous federal and state agencies who have a growing interest in IP communications. Named by BusinessWeek as one of their 2003 Tech Gurus. Mr. Pulver is committed to the future of IP communications and is featured often in the media as true expert in his field. He is a patron/supporter of the Diabetes Research Institute, Robin Hood, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Musuem, VH1 Save the Music, and is a lifetime member of the ARRL and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Mike Baker
DataXu
Mike Baker has been pioneering digital media platforms for 20 years and is a widely recognized thought leader in interactive advertising. Before co-founding DataXu and serving as the CEO, he was vice president at Nokia, where he created and ran Nokia Interactive. Baker came to Nokia through its acquisition of mobile advertising leader Enpocket in 2007, where he was the founding investor and CEO. Baker was previously a partner at venture capital firm GrandBanks Capital. He has also been executive vice president at Engage Technologies, an innovator in online advertising and behavioral targeting. Baker holds degrees in law and telecommunications management.
Ryan Moore
GrandBanks Capital
Ryan co-founded GrandBanks Capital in 2000 with Charley Lax and focuses on investments in each area of focus in the GrandBanks Capital portfolio. Ryan currently serves on the Board of Directors uLocate Communications, GlassHouse Technologies, First Coverage, Vela Systems, Vivox, Inc and SendMe Mobile. Ryan managed and served on the board of GrandBanks' investment Enpocket which was sold to Nokia Corporation in October 2007. Ryan also served as the lead investor in the Series A funding of First Coverage, uLocate Communications, Vela Systems, and Vivox.
Prior to co-founding GrandBanks Capital, Ryan had worked with Charley Lax since 1999 at SOFTBANK Venture Capital (Mobius Venture Capital), and SOFTBANK Capital Partners, a strategic late-stage investment fund. Previously, he was a Senior Associate focusing on Technology Investment Banking with Robertson Stephens in San Francisco, California. During his tenure at Robertson Stephens, Ryan worked with a number of technology companies on strategic and financial transactions including E*Trade Group, eBay, Internet Security Systems and WebMD.
Ryan earned his AB in Economics from Princeton University in 1996, where he played linebacker on the Tigers' 1995 Ivy League Champion varsity football team.
Mitch Lasky
Benchmark Capital
Mitch Lasky has spent more than two decades in the mobile gaming, new media and interactive entertainment business. Prior to joining Benchmark Capital, Mitch served as executive vice president of Mobile and Online at Electronic Arts. Previously, he was chairman and chief executive officer of JAMDAT Mobile, Inc, the leading global publisher of wireless entertainment applications, which was acquired by EA in 2005.
Prior to JAMDAT, Mitch served as general manager of eCompanies Wireless LLC, an Internet business incubator. He also spent five years at Activision, most recently serving as executive vice president of Worldwide Studios. In that role he was responsible for product development, business development and global operations. Earlier in his career, Mitch practiced law, worked at the Walt Disney Company and started a massively multiplayer online game company.
Mitch is also on the board of EngineYard, Grockit, Hiplogic, and Riot Games.
Mitch received his Bachelor of Administration degree in History and Literature from Harvard College and earned a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Warren Lee
Canaan Partners
Warren brings significant operational experience and proven investment talent to Canaan Partners, with expertise in communications, digital media, and software. He joined the firm’s Connecticut office in 2005 to focus on digital media investments, specifically in the New York corridor. Convinced online advertising as we know it is only in its nascent stages, Warren is always on the lookout for the next great leap in digital media – and was responsible for Canaan’s early investments in Tremor Media, a rising star in the online video advertising space; Motionbox, a leading user-generated video site; Associated Content, “The People’s Media Company”; and Vivox, a provider of voice communication services to online communities.
Previously, Warren worked at Comcast Interactive Capital, where he led the media firm’s investments in, and served on the boards of, several global technology companies, including Arbor Networks, Arroyo Video Solutions (acquired by Cisco in August 2006), Broadbus Technologies (acquired by Motorola in July 2006), CommunityConnect, Counterpane Internet Security (acquired by British Telecom in October 2006), netForensics, ReefEdge (acquired by Symantec), and Tripwire. Before joining the venture community, Warren gained deep operational experience, serving as an engineer and project manager at Solectron Corp., a corporate development manager at Sun Microsystems, a management consultant at The Boston Consulting Group and an investment banker in Alex Brown’s technology group.
Warren holds a BS in computer science and BA in economics with honors from Stanford University and an MBA from The Wharton School. In addition to Vivox, he currently sits on the boards of Associated Content, Motionbox, Peer39, and Tremor Media.
Phil Sanderson
IDG Ventures SF
Phil joined IDG Ventures SF as a Managing Director in September 2006. He was previously a General Partner at WaldenVC for 10 years. Phil focused on early stage investments in new media and IT at WaldenVC. Phil currently sits on the Boards of Vivox, Telltale Games, Simply Hired and i2we and was responsible for investments in VitalStream (VSTH), Bamboo.com (IPIX), NIKU (NIKU), Sina.com (SINA), Adknowledge, and People3 (IT).
Prior to WaldenVC, he worked as an investment banker in Robertson Stephens' New Media and Information Technology Groups. At Robertson Stephens, Phil managed initial public offerings and mergers and acquisitions assignments for CBT Systems, Computer Learning Centers, Electronic Arts, Fritz Integrated Logistics, Spectrum HoloByte, Sierra On-line, and Vantive, among others. Prior to Robertson Stephens, he worked in Goldman Sachs' corporate finance group. Phil has also founded and operated three companies in the retail, non-profit, and manufacturing industries.
He is also Co-Chairman/Founder of the VCNetwork (www.vcnetwork.org) and the YVCA (www.YVCA.com); two non-profit organizations consisting of over 1,000 venture capitalists in Silicon Valley. Each year Phil manages social networking events which include the participation of 50% of the Valley’s General Partners. In addition, Phil serves on the Board of the Western Association of Venture Capitalists (WAVC, www.wavc.net).
Phil received his Master of Business Administration with Honors from the Harvard Graduate School of Business and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics with Honors from Hamilton College.
