Venky Ganesan, Managing Director of Menlo Ventures, will serve as the 2016-2017 Chair of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) Board of Directors. Ganesan’s appointment was made official at the Second Annual NVCA Leadership Gala & Summit in San Francisco, this week.
Ganesan becomes Chair of the NVCA Board of Directors at a key time for the entrepreneurial ecosystem. With the 2016 presidential elections to produce a new president with a new policy agenda that could impact NVCA’s key policy priorities, Ganesan remarked on the important role NVCA plays in advocating for policies to strengthen venture and the broader ecosystem.
“I am deeply honoured to assume this leadership position at such a critical time for our industry. NVCA is the most important voice for the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through its policy agenda and advocacy work, NVCA plays a vital role in strengthening the ecosystem and ensuring the continued growth of innovation,” says Ganesan. “As venture capitalists, it’s our job to ensure that entrepreneurship flourishes in all parts of the country, with equal opportunity for founders in all geographies. Broader access to private funding is the key to enabling entrepreneurs to solve hard technology problems that have long lasting impact on our lives and our economy. I look forward to continuing my support of iconic founders through my tenure as the Chair of NVCA.”
Ganesan is preceded by Jon Callaghan, Founder and General Partner at True Ventures. Through his dynamic leadership, Callaghan helped to expand the organisation’s footprint in the ecosystem through the creation of the industry partner program and was a critical voice in NVCA’s efforts to inform lawmakers of the unintended consequences of patent litigation reform.
“Working with Jon this last year has been a remarkable experience for myself and the entire NVCA team. His enthusiasm for entrepreneurship is infectious, instilling a sense of mission across the organisation that has trickled down to all facets of our work,” says Bobby Franklin, President and CEO of NVCA. “His vision and personal commitment of time and energy to improving the organisation and expanding our programming for members and other constituencies in the ecosystem will be felt for years to come. We thank him for his service to the industry and look forward to his continued engagement.”
