NW

Neil Weintraut

Founding CFO at MemryX Inc.

Menlo Park, California

Overview

Work Experience

  • Managing Partner

    2015 - Current

    Invest and build startups harnessing AI Technology, one of the three focus areas of Motus Ventures. To date, the firm has invested in 23 companies. Representative portfolio companies include Memryx (AI Edge Processing), Helm.ai and Sontus (Automotive AI); Cranfield Aerospace; H2U Technology (hydrogen electrolyzers), evConnect (Electric Vehicle Chargers); Sepion and Sylvatex (Clean Battery technologies); InOrbit (Cloud-based robot management).

  • Founding CFO

    2020

    Chief Financial Officer launching the company from raw technology extracted out of the University of Michigan into a 40-employee business that was capable of attracting a veteran CEO and full-time executive staff.

  • Founding CFO

    2021 - 2022

    Served as Chief Financial Officer launching the company from raw technology extracted out of CalTech into a 20-employee business that was capable of attracting a veteran CEO and full-time executive staff.

  • Partner

    2010 - 2015

    Cloud Ventures is the personal investment and advisory business of J. Neil Weintraut.

  • Founder and co-Managing Partner

    1996 - 2010

    Palo Alto Venture Partners was one of the first venture capital funds focused on the emerging opportunities of the Internet. Sponsored by Hummer Winblad, PAVP invested in some of the pioneers of Internet markets, including AdFoce (online advertising service. OTC-ADFC, then acquired by CMGI), AvantGo (the first mobile application software vendor. OTC-AVGO, then acquired by Sybase), CareerBuilder (one of the first online career media. OTC-CDBR, then acquired by Knight Ridder), DemandForce (online revenue generation service. Acquired by Intuit), DVDPlay (one of the first nationwide DVD Kiosk rental services. Acquired by NCR), Employease (the first native Software-as-a-service vendor. Acquired by ADP), Esurance (online customized insurance. Acquired by White Mountain Insurance). Nextance (XML-based contract management automation. Acquired by Versata), PostX (secure enterprise email. Acquired by Cisco). Vicinity (one of the first online mapping services. OTC-VCNT, then acquired by MSFT), when.com (online calendaring acquired by AOL). Investor and board member of AdForce, CareerBuilder, DVDPlay, Nextance, Vicinity, as well as numerous other startups. Raised two funds. Invited judge and speaker at Harvard, Stanford and UC Berkeley School of Businesses. Advised the International Olympic Committee on the application of the Internet to the Olympic Games.

  • Managing Director and Head of Internet Practice

    1987 - 1996

    With offices in San Francisco, Boston and New York, Hambrecht and Quist was one of the four technology investment banks, known for underwriting Apple Computer, Genentech, Netscape and many of the Internet pioneers. Identified and framed the business opportunity of the Internet in its nascent stage just after the Commercial Use Policy was put into place, and became one of the early authorities on Wall Street, National Television, and English-speaking markets worldwide. Created and Led the Internet Practice of Hambrecht & Quist, establishing the firms Corporate Finance, Trading, Institutional Sales, and Research as a vendor of choice for all Internet-related businesses. While under Neil's leadership, H&Q was selected as a lead or co-lead underwriter for Netscape Communications - the most prominent technology company underwriting in the technology industry prior to Google, UUNET technologies (the premier commercial-grade ISP), Checkpoint Software (firewall software), Lycos (online search), c|net (one of the first online media), and VocalTech (the first VoIP vendor). Prior to initiating and creating the Internet practice, led the Enterprise Automation practice, and prior to that, was a research analyst covering the computer hardware industry. While head of the Enterprise Automation practice, H&Q was selected as the lead or co-leading underwriter of Remedy Systems, Vantive Software, Fortify Software, Gupta, Ross Systems, and Platinum Software. Published extensive and regular company analysis and reports on: BMC Software, Compuware, Gupta, Informix, Microsoft, Oracle, Platinum Software, Remedy, Sybase, Vantive enterprise automation companies; Cray Research, Pyramid, Ross Systems, and Sequent computer hardware vendors; and Computer Entry Systems, Intelligent Systems, Rogers Components, and other specialized technology companies. Prepared and presented the strategic business case for the acquisition of PaperSoftware, Kevex, Software Components, and Mobile Data.

  • Design Engineer

    1984 - 1985

    Designed a parallel processing system for simulating millions of logic circuits per second.

  • Design Engineer

    1983 - 1984

    Designed the processor subsystem for a Cray 2-class supercomputer.

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