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Matrix Partners Expands Silicon Valley Investment Team, Dana Stalder, former PayPal Senior Vice President Joins the Firm as General Partner
MENLO PARK, CA, August 11, 2008—Matrix Partners, a premiere venture capital firm that invests in promising young technology companies, today announced a new addition to its Silicon Valley office, located on Sand Hill Rd. in Menlo Park, CA. Dana Stalder, Senior Vice President at leading Internet payment service PayPal, will join the firm as a general partner.
In his new role at Matrix Partners, Stalder will focus on identifying, investing in and supporting innovative Internet, software and other technology companies.
“We are thrilled to have Dana join our West coast team,” says Andy Verhalen, General Partner at Matrix Partners and head of the firm’s Silicon Valley office. “Dana brings with him boundless energy and a deep enthusiasm for consumer technologies and experiences. He has considerable management experience, as well as a proven ability to help turn a great idea into a market leading company.”
“I am honored to join Matrix Partners,” says Stalder. “The firm has consistently delivered exceptional returns to its investors and maintains a strong commitment to its entrepreneurs. The partners are selective when they make investments and remain deeply involved with the companies they support—through all kinds of economic weather.”
“I could not ask for a more accomplished West Coast counterpart,” says Nick Beim, a general partner in the firm’s Waltham, Mass. office. On behalf of Matrix Partners, Beim has led early investments in consumer Internet companies such as TheLadders.com, a subscription‐based job service targeting executives, Gilt Groupe, an invitation‐only luxury‐shopping site, and Care.com, a marketplace for domestic care services. “Dana has keen insight into building outstanding consumer Internet products.”
Most recently Stalder served as PayPal Senior Vice President responsible for technology, product, sales, marketing and international business. An entrepreneur at heart, Stalder managed the incubation of several key initiatives at PayPal, including PayPal Mobile, PayPal PayLater and PayPal’s global expansion efforts. Prior to joining PayPal in 2004 Stalder held several other executive positions at eBay in his seven‐year tenure, including Vice President of Internet Marketing, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, and Vice President of Finance. Previously Stalder served as a member of the founding team at Respond.com, and as a Vice President at Netscape.
Stalder serves on the boards of QuinStreet and iRise, and is on the technology advisory board at DonorsChoose.org.
About Matrix Partners:
Matrix Partners is an early stage venture capital firm, which fosters long‐term partnerships with entrepreneurs and works closely with them to help build significant, industry‐leading technology companies. The firm has generated stellar returns over three decades and has delivered several of the industry’s top performing funds of all time. Matrix Partners has offices in Massachusetts, Silicon Valley, India and China. Matrix Partners has been fortunate to be a part of the creation of game‐changing companies such as SanDisk (Nasdaq: SNDK), Veritas Software (Symantec), Starent Networks (Nasdaq:STAR), Openwave (Nasdaq:OPWV), Aruba Networks (Nasdaq: ARUN), Netezza (NYSE: NZ) and JBoss (Red Hat).
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