Private equity firm Institutional Venture Partners (IVP) has promoted Somesh Dash and Eric Liaw to principals. These promotions recognise their contributions to IVP and highlight the firm’s continued momentum in strengthening its investment team.
“Somesh and Eric have worked incredibly hard and have produced fantastic results for IVP,” says Todd Chaffee, General Partner at IVP. “They are an integral part of our investment team, and we are thrilled to announce their promotions.”
Dash joined IVP in March of 2005 and focuses primarily on later-stage investments in Internet, software, wireless, and technology-enabled services companies.
"IVP seeks to identify and back premier late-stage companies and management teams," says Dash. "I’m incredibly excited about working with the top entrepreneurs in the technology marketplace."
Liaw joined IVP in early 2011 and focuses primarily on later-stage investments in high growth companies across a variety of sectors including enterprise software, Internet, and mobile.
"IVP has backed many innovative companies such as Dropbox, HomeAway, LivingSocial, Twitter, and Zynga," says Liaw. "I’m thrilled to be part of this incredible team, and it is an honor to partner with so many dynamic market leaders."
Prior to joining IVP, Somesh worked in Credit Suisse’s Technology Investment Banking Group. Earlier, Dash worked for Luxmi Capital, an early stage venture capital fund focused on digital media investments. He also worked in the Corporate Development for Sony Entertainment Television in India. Dash earned a BS in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley and an MBA from Stanford University.
Prior to joining IVP, Liaw was with Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV). At TCV, he completed minority and control investments in private and public companies across the Internet and software sectors. Earlier in his career, Liaw was a member of Morgan Stanley’s Technology Investment Banking Group. Liaw also held technical and marketing positions with Trend Micro and Canon Software Publishing. He holds a BA in Economics with a minor in Computer Science and an M.S. in Management Science and Engineering, both from Stanford University.
IVP’s investment team is focused on identifying later-stage growth companies in the Internet & Digital Media, Enterprise IT, and Mobile & Communications sectors. In 2012, the firm will continue to pursue additional investments in rapidly-growing technology companies.
