At HVP in Palo Alto, CA, you will find a venture leadership team that has been educated at top US, UK and Canadian academic institutions.
We’ve amassed 50+ years of operating and venture experience at leading high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. We’ve acquired 20 companies; held 15 board of director roles; closed 12 venture investments; participated in 12 liquidity events; held executive level operating roles at 6 public and 10 pre-IPO companies; and closed numerous Secondary Market transactions totalling millions of dollars.
Meet The Team
Neil McGowan
Neil McGowan is our Founder and Managing Partner
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He earned a BS in Computer Science at St. John’s University, and is a graduate of Dartmouth University-Tuck Executive Program
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He’s held executive positions at Silicon Valley hi-tech companies including: ​
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Chairman & Managing Director of Silicon Graphics-Sub-Saharan Africa
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Interim CEO at Fizwoz and LinksMark
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SVP of International Markets at Verisign
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GM of the Brazil Subsidiary at VeriSign
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SVP of American Sales & Service at Openwave
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SVP of Global Sales & Alliances at Cloudmark.
Humphrey Polanen
Humphrey Polanen is a Managing Partner.
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He earned a JD from Harvard Law School and a BA from Hamilton College.
He has held executive positions as: ​
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Chairman, of Edgeware Sand Hill Security and uCirrus
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Founding CE of Heritage Bank
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Managing Director of iBanker Direct
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Co-Founder of Internet Venture Partners BB
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Sr. Partner at Punchlime
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GM of Internet Commerce and Security at SUN;
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Corporate General Counsel and Director of Global Business Ventures at Tandem.
Joy McGowan
Joy Truth McGowan is our Operating Partner.
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She is focused on the process, policies, compliance, and the over quality and efficacy of the Firm.
Joy graduated from University of San Francisco with a BS in Information Systems Management.
Her past positions included:
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Founder and President at Harmony Beauty Boutique
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Regional Sales Director for the Small Business and Enterprise sectors at AT&T
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Sr. Financial Analyst for Manufacturing at Silicon Graphics.