Disruptive Tech & Social Impact: John Simon's Dual Venture Approach

John Simon is the Co-Founder and Board Chair of GreenLight Fund and

Managing Director of Sigma Prime Ventures. John is an active entrepreneur, creator and investor in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. He is currently a managing director at Sigma Prime Ventures where he focuses on software-based businesses and disruptive technology businesses, often getting involved in businesses at their formation or earliest stages. Prior to joining Sigma Prime, John was a co-founder and managing director of General Catalyst Partners, where he was responsible for investments in both new and existing technology businesses.

Before co-founding General Catalyst Partners, John was founder, chairman and CEO of UroMed Corporation. UroMed completed its initial public offering in 1994 and was subsequently merged to form Alliant Medical Technologies. While at General Catalyst Partners, portfolio companies of General Catalyst Partners for which John served on the board of directors or that John was otherwise involved with include: Jumptap, Paydiant, OwnCloud, SignalDemand, BetterLesson, Mocospace, Thumb, Swirl, Swoop, CyPhy Works, iWalk, Aidin, Tear Science, Fractyl, DC Devices, and OvaScience (OTC BB:OVSC), Taleo (NASDAQ:TLEO, acquired by Oracle), m-Qube (acquired by VeriSign), ProfitLogic (acquired by Oracle), Maven Networks (acquired by Yahoo!), Bullhorn Software (acquired by Vista Equity), Quickplay Media (acquired by Madison Dearborn), BzzAgent (acquired by Dunn Humby/Tesco), and Outstart (acquired by Kenexa/IBM).

In addition, John co-founded the GreenLight Fund and serves as Board Chair of the organization. GreenLight Fund partners with local communities to match unmet needs for individuals and families navigating barriers to economic mobility with innovative nonprofits that have a track record of success elsewhere. The national organization is scaling measurable impact in 12 sites across the country including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, Greater Newark, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and the Twin Cities.

John is a member of the World Presidents’ Organization (WPO). He’s a co-founder and current trustee of The Steppingstone Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides educational opportunities to deserving inner-city students. John was honored with the 2015 Lewis Family Foundation CEO Social Leadership Award at the Boston Business Journal’s annual Corporate Citizenship Summit. John is a graduate of Harvard University, earning a BA in History and Science and Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar and received his MA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

Topics:

1. The evolution of venture capital

2. Early-stage investing strategies

3. Impact investing: measuring social impact alongside financial returns

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