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Battery Ventures

Global, technology-focused investment firm with offices in the U.S., Europe and Israel.
Battery Ventures
Leadership team

Chelsea Stoner (General Partner)

Dharmesh Thakker (General Partner)

Jesse Feldman (General Partner)

Michael Brown  (General Partner)

Morad Elhafed (General Partner)

Number of Employees
100 - 500
Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Established
1983
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Summary

Battery Ventures is a prominent US-based investment firm that operates in the fields of venture capital and private/growth equity. The firm focuses on investing in technology companies globally, with an emphasis on categories such as application software, IT infrastructure, and consumer Internet/mobile.

Battery Ventures' venture capital practice targets seed and growth-stage technology companies, seeking innovative and potentially industry-defining businesses. They provide capital and support to help these companies develop and grow.

In private equity, Battery Ventures offers flexible capital solutions that can be utilized for various types of transactions. They invest in a range of opportunities, including buyouts of family or founder-owned companies, public-to-private deals, and divisional carve-outs of business units.

History

Battery Ventures was founded in 1983 by Rick Frisbie and Howard Anderson. The firm started with a focus on venture capital investments in the technology sector. Over the years, Battery Ventures has established itself as a prominent and influential investor in the global technology landscape.

In its early years, Battery Ventures made a name for itself by backing successful technology companies such as Ciena, Akamai Technologies, and MetroPCS. These early investments demonstrated the firm's ability to identify and support promising technology startups.

As Battery Ventures grew, it expanded its investment activities beyond venture capital and ventured into private equity and growth equity investments. This diversification allowed the firm to target a broader range of investment opportunities and provide different types of capital to support companies at various stages of growth.

Throughout its history, Battery Ventures has maintained a focus on technology investments across multiple sectors. The firm has invested in companies in areas such as software and digital, consumer and enterprise hardware, health tech, fintech, media tech, and more. Battery Ventures' portfolio spans a wide range of industries and reflects its commitment to investing in cutting-edge, category-defining businesses.

Battery Ventures has also expanded its global presence over the years. In addition to its headquarters in Boston, the firm has established offices in San Francisco, Tel Aviv, and London. This global footprint enables Battery Ventures to access investment opportunities in different regions and support companies on an international scale.

The firm's success has been recognized through its rankings among other investment funds. Battery Ventures consistently ranks highly in terms of size, age, and user ratings compared to its peers in both venture capital and private equity.

Today, Battery Ventures continues to actively invest in technology companies, providing capital, expertise, and support to help them achieve their growth potential. With a focus on innovation and an extensive network of resources, Battery Ventures remains a prominent player in the technology investment landscape.

Investment criteria

Battery Ventures follows specific investment criteria when evaluating potential investment opportunities. While their criteria may vary depending on the specific fund or strategy they are pursuing, the following factors generally guide their investment decisions:

  • Technology Focus: Battery Ventures is primarily focused on technology investments. They seek companies that are leveraging technology to create innovative solutions or disrupt traditional industries. Their expertise lies in sectors such as application software, IT infrastructure, consumer Internet/mobile, hardware, and industrial tech.
  • Growth Potential: Battery Ventures looks for companies with significant growth potential. They seek businesses that have the ability to become market leaders in their respective sectors. This often involves identifying companies with scalable business models, strong product differentiation, and a clear path to expansion.
  • Revenue Range: Battery Ventures typically targets companies with revenue between $5 million and $200 million. This range allows them to invest in both early-stage companies that are demonstrating promising growth and more established businesses that are poised for further expansion.
  • Market Size and Opportunity: Battery Ventures assesses the market size and potential for each investment opportunity. They prefer companies operating in large and growing markets, as this increases the potential for significant returns on investment. They look for companies that can capture a substantial market share or create entirely new market categories.
  • Experienced Management Team: The quality and experience of the management team are crucial considerations for Battery Ventures. They seek teams that have a proven track record, domain expertise, and the ability to execute their strategic vision. They often partner with talented founders and provide support to help them build and scale their businesses.
  • Competitive Advantage: Battery Ventures looks for companies with a competitive advantage that sets them apart from competitors. This could be in the form of proprietary technology, unique intellectual property, strong customer relationships, or a differentiated business model. They aim to invest in companies that have a sustainable advantage in their respective markets.
  • Global Potential: Battery Ventures considers companies with global potential. They look for businesses that can expand beyond their current markets and tap into international opportunities. Their global offices and network enable them to provide support and resources for companies looking to expand globally.
Values

Battery Ventures operates based on a set of core values that guide its actions, decisions, and interactions. These values reflect the firm's commitment to excellence, integrity, collaboration, and long-term success:

  • Excellence: Battery Ventures strives for excellence in everything they do. They have a rigorous approach to evaluating investment opportunities, conducting due diligence, and supporting portfolio companies. They aim to deliver exceptional value to their investors, entrepreneurs, and the broader ecosystem.
  • Integrity: Integrity is at the heart of Battery Ventures' operations. They prioritize honesty, transparency, and ethical behaviour in all their interactions. They build trusted relationships with their partners and stakeholders by conducting themselves with the highest level of integrity.
  • Collaboration: Battery Ventures values collaboration and teamwork. They believe that the best outcomes are achieved through collective effort and diverse perspectives. They actively collaborate with their portfolio company founders, management teams, and fellow investors to drive growth and success.
  • Long-term Orientation: Battery Ventures takes a long-term perspective when it comes to investments. They focus on building sustainable businesses with enduring value rather than seeking short-term gains. They understand that building successful companies takes time and patience, and they support their portfolio companies throughout their growth journey.
  • Entrepreneurship: Battery Ventures has a deep appreciation for entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial spirit. They actively seek out visionary founders and support their entrepreneurial drive. They encourage innovation, risk-taking, and bold thinking to create groundbreaking companies that can shape industries.
  • Empathy and Respect: Battery Ventures values empathy and respect in all their interactions. They understand that every individual and company has unique challenges and perspectives. They listen attentively, show empathy, and treat everyone with respect, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment.
  • Continuous Learning: Battery Ventures embraces a culture of continuous learning. They stay at the forefront of industry trends, emerging technologies, and market dynamics. They invest in their own knowledge and development to better serve their portfolio companies and make informed investment decisions.
Mission

Battery Ventures' mission is to partner with exceptional entrepreneurs and help them build innovative, market-leading technology companies. The firm seeks to identify and invest in companies that have the potential to transform industries, disrupt traditional business models, and create long-term value.

Central to Battery Ventures' mission is a deep belief in the power of technology to drive positive change and shape the future. They recognize that technology has the ability to revolutionize various sectors, improve people's lives, and solve complex challenges.

Portfolio

Battery Ventures has built a diverse and impressive portfolio of companies across various technology sectors. Their portfolio encompasses a wide range of innovative and market-leading companies that are shaping industries and driving change. While the specific composition of their portfolio evolves over time, here are some examples of notable companies that have been part of Battery Ventures' portfolio:

  • AppDynamics: AppDynamics is a leading application performance monitoring and management platform. It provides businesses with real-time insights into their software applications, enabling them to optimize performance, enhance user experiences, and improve overall operational efficiency.
  • Coupa Software: Coupa Software is a cloud-based platform that helps businesses manage their spending and procurement processes. It provides solutions for expense management, supplier management, sourcing, and contract management, helping organizations streamline their operations and drive cost savings.
  • Nutanix: Nutanix offers a hyper-converged infrastructure platform that combines storage, computing, and virtualization capabilities into a single solution. Their software-defined infrastructure simplifies data centre management, enhances scalability, and improves performance for businesses.
  • Glassdoor: Glassdoor is a popular online job and career platform that provides company reviews, salary information, and job listings. It offers a transparent and user-generated platform for job seekers to research potential employers and make informed career decisions.
  • Brightree: Brightree is a leading provider of cloud-based software solutions for the post-acute healthcare industry. Their platform helps home health and hospice agencies streamline operations, manage patient data, and improve care coordination.
  • Zerto: Zerto offers disaster recovery and business continuity solutions for virtualized and cloud environments. Their software platform enables organizations to recover data and applications rapidly, minimize downtime, and ensure business continuity in the face of disruptions.
  • Buzzfeed: BuzzFeed is a digital media company known for its engaging content, quizzes, and news articles. It has a strong online presence and reaches a wide audience through its website, social media channels, and video content.
  • Lightbend: Lightbend is a provider of reactive application development technologies and frameworks. Their platform helps companies build scalable, resilient, and event-driven applications that can handle high volumes of data and user interactions.
References
Battery Ventures
Leadership team

Chelsea Stoner (General Partner)

Dharmesh Thakker (General Partner)

Jesse Feldman (General Partner)

Michael Brown  (General Partner)

Morad Elhafed (General Partner)

Number of Employees
100 - 500
Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Established
1983
Social Media