Stu Phillips

Managing Director

2016 - Current

Managing Partner

2006

Founder and Managing Partner of Ridgelift Ventures, a venture advisory firm focused on helping entrepreneurs build their companies.

Managing Manager

2010 - 2020

Brought in by the Limited Partners in 2010 to restructure the management company and maximize the value in the two remaining funds (~$700M of committed capital). Coordinated a small team of investment professionals to support and develop portfolio companies and maximize the returns to Bay's investors. Returned multiples of the capital commitments and liquidated the final assets in early 2020. Bay Partners was one of the oldest and most successful venture firms in Silicon Valley with a focus on Software and Saas investments. Exited investment in portfolio companies include Cornerstone On Demand, Eloqua, Guidewire Software, Enphase, Mulesoft, Paraccel and Zenprise... among a lot of other greats!

General Partner

1997 - 2005

General Partner at US Venture Partners. Active investor in a wide range of technology enabled companies in Software, Services, Internet, Communications etc.

VP Central Engineering

1993 - 1997

Joined Cisco in 1993 and was responsible for all the platform independent software - the Cisco IOS. Started with about 50 people (about a third of engineering at the time) and had over 1000 when I left. Gave me an opportunity to work for John Chambers (a great CEO) and work with some of the smartest and hard working people I've ever met. Cisco was a great learning experience - we were growing very fast and I participated in a number of the minority investments made by the company as well as many of the acquisitions.

Director, Network Service Products

1986 - 1993

Development director responsible for the majority of Tandem's hardware and software products.

Design Consultant

1981 - 1985