Sanjiv Parikh
Managing Partner at Avanta Ventures
Sanjiv Parikh
Managing Partner at Avanta Ventures
San Francisco Bay Area
Overview
Work Experience
Managing Partner
2017 - Current
Created and developed from the ground up a venture capital firm focused on value creation and growth. Avanta Ventures invests in and develops in its studios disruptive innovation; fostering an ecosystem to drive the next wave of products, services and experiences. Our portfolio of investment and studios startups includes: • Blueprint Title • Cape Analytics • Car IQ • Cowbell Cyber • Defi Pay Network • IDEO CoLab Ventures • InShare Services • Kin Insurance • LoanSnap • Motorq • Overhaul • RapidSOS • Upsie Our focus areas include: ~ InsurTech: leveraging disruptive technologies to create customer-centric insurance solutions • Bundling of insurance and financial services • Distribution • Underwriting • Product • Claims Enhancement • Data Driven Underwriting • Virtualization of Assets ~ Mobility: reinventing personal and commercial mobility through new data, connectivity and platform technologies • Connected Car • Autonomous Vehicles • Ride Sharing • Telematics • Fleet Management • Smart Cities • Air Taxis • Commercial Transportation ~ Adjacencies: reimagining the customer experience through innovative products and services adjacent to insurance and risk management • Wealth management • Cybersecurity • Identity management • Home sharing • Connected home • Home care • Security • Travel • Payments
Vice President, Ventures & Corporate Development, Office of Strategy & Innovation
2017
Responsible for implementing a M&A strategy and execution as well as venture capital investing; developing a portfolio of disruptive growth opportunities across: • Analytics / Big Data / Information Management • Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning • Autonomous Vehicles / Connected Car • Blockchain / FinTech • Insurance Distribution • InsurTech Platforms • Internet of Things
Managing Director
2010
Advisor and interim management for corporations to drive alliances, business development, go-to-market, growth and unique value propositions including access innovation and execute acquisitions, investments and strategy. Mentor entrepreneurs to obtain funding, launch and create partnerships. • Clients have included AARP, Ciena, Naya Ventures, Sentilla and others.
Vice President, Business & Corporate Development
2015 - 2017
Lead SK Telecom's acquisitions, business development and investments in the Americas to create the next generation of platforms and build operating companies for SK Telecom across: • IT Infrastructure, SDN & Cloud Computing • IoT as a Service Platform • Advanced Media • Lifestyle Enhancement
Advisor to Vice President Software Products & Strategy
2014 - 2015
Optical network infrastructure provider. • Advised and helped create a transformational software, product and build/buy/partner strategy to leverage shift to SDN, NFV and Cloud Computing.
Senior Vice President - Business Development & Strategy
2013 - 2014
Big data cloud analytics software firm to optimize cloud-computing, infrastructure, network and data center performance bridging IT Operations Management, Analytics and Application Performance Management. • Brought on by the Board of Directors to reposition and turn-around the company. Led strategic, product and business model direction. • Created and drove partnerships with Cisco, Ericsson and Guavus. • Identified target partners and developed specific value propositions increasing go-to-market resulting in shift in business model. • Drove competitive positioning, aligned strategy with market opportunity and refocused product development.
Corporate Vice President, Investments & Corporate Development
2011 - 2012
Led HTC’s global investments and corporate development focused on end-to-end mobility, consumer content, value-added services, and applications. • Growth: Created acquisition and investment strategy that dove-tailed with corporate initiatives to pro-actively leverage disruption by building an ecosystem of external innovation through partnerships, investments, acquisitions and evangelism. • Engagements: Led evaluation, partnership, investment, acquisition and management of numerous companies across the value chain (e.g., 3D UI; app search; batteries; enterprise software; family apps; gaming; imaging; music; payments; VC funds; video; security).
Managing Director - Corporate Ventures, Strategy & Corporate Development
2008 - 2010
Led HP’s global partnership funnel with innovation and investments focusing in enterprise networking, infrastructure, cloud computing, analytics and business intelligence, as well as HP’s interaction with venture capitalists and entrepreneurs to drive growth for HP. • Growth: Institutionalized partnership model with disruptive startups to bridge external innovation with internal corporate strategy. Created business development partnerships to extend HP’s product reach. • Engagements: Managed evaluation, partnerships and go-to-markets with numerous startups (e.g., business intelligence, infrastructure, mobile, networking; security; virtualization, among others). • Equity Investments: Enhanced value by rationalizing HP’s equity portfolio of over 310 assets to 30. Accountable for negotiation, performance and outcome of all equity investments (including limited partner positions in 21 venture funds and numerous joint ventures). Managed and over-saw all board of director positions in investments. • Transactions: Led, negotiated and structured over 50 transactions. Returned $75 MM in profit on legacy assets of over $250 MM.
Director – Business Intelligence, Mobility and Telecom Infrastructure, Emerging Business Team
2004 - 2008
Drove partnerships and go-to-markets with disruptive startups to accelerate innovation, foster entrepreneurship and assess early trends across carrier, mobile and business intelligence software value-chains; managed Microsoft’s interaction with VCs and startups world-wide. • End-to-End Mobility: Helped develop and articulate an end-to-end mobile value proposition across all Microsoft product groups and market sectors from carrier/network, enterprise, consumer to devices. • Source Innovation: Evaluated over 700 startups from around the world and personally engaged with over 200 startups representing more than $2 billion in venture investments. Published over 50 case studies. Assisted startups in obtaining funding and gaining customer traction. • Go-to-Market: Created a CEO Summit enabling startups to present directly in front of enterprise CEOs and executives. Led to one acquisition and several partnerships for startups, helping increase their revenues. • Alliances: Drove business development partnerships, go-to-markets and technology alignment with numerous startups (e.g., analytics / business intelligence; advertising; communications / infrastructure; mobile; among others). • Network: Have built innumerable trusted relationships with entrepreneurs and VCs world-wide: from Australia, China, Denmark, Dubai, France, Germany, India, Israel, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and across the United States. • Trends: Assessed and communicated emerging trends across telecom infrastructure, mobile and business intelligence value chains impacting industry. Assisted team to educate CEO and his staff on disruptive, innovative new startups on a regular basis. • Acquisitions: Sourced innovative startups for acquisition.
Managing Director
2002 - 2004
Venture capital and private equity advisory firm to evaluate, develop, turnaround and invest in public and private companies. Advised large corporations and assisted early/mid-stage companies with their growth needs. • Clients have included Boeing Ventures, $200 million innovation, incubation and venture arm of The Boeing Company. • PIPE investment in Cardima, a medical device firm developing a cardiac catheter to treat atrial fibrillation. • Invested in and advised Shipcom Wireless, developing machine to machine network and real-time supply chain management software. • Led all activities of the firm, including business development, financings, PIPEs, M&A transactions, spin-outs and interim management.
Education
Investments
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