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4.0 Kleiner Perkins the Blockbuster Pipe Seems Pretty Full
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by Anonymous on 2010-02-22
Interesting last post on Kleiner Perkins, makes for a good read, but man... seems completely off when you check against reality. Checking the recent press, we might actually be in for another significant take-off of the KP funds:
1. Zynga - huge growth, and I guess a highly profitable business model, because it's all based on virtual goods and ads. Probably the next-generation games company, after Electronic Arts. Bing Gordon is the partner behind it.
2. Bloom Box - last Friday's 60 Minutes showed their clean energy solution has eBay, Google, FedEx and Walmart as trial customers, and the solution seems to work. Obviously a very large market if they can pull it off. This is a John Doerr one, admitted, but nice upside potential.
3. Mobile iFund - some of those companies, like Gogii, Booyah, Pinger, already have millions of mobile users according to the press, i.e. fast uptake. Matt Murphy, Chi-Hua Chien, Randy Komisar seem to be behind these.
4. Chegg - book rentals - looks like a realyl cool consumer model. Chi-Hua Chien and Ted Schlein on that one - not John Doerr.
Yes, there will be losers in the portfolio, as always. But with the above in the pipe, I don't think I'd bet against KPCB ... ;)
PRIVATE: Members OnlyKleiner is Made Up of One Remarkable Man, and Basically a Bunch of Primadonnas with No Track Record
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by Anonymous on 2010-02-19
John Doerr will go down as the greatest venture capitalist that ever lived. He built Kleiner into legendary status, complete with awe and reverence. They were at one point THE apex of excellence among VCs. JD's accomplishments are nothing short of brilliance. Credit goes to Vinod Khosla, too. He was the second half of KP's success.
Kleiner is an entirely different firm today. The caliber of partner they have is simply, in a word - disappointing. Sure, they all have sterling academic credentials (don't most VCs?), but not one of them has done anything to earn the right to bear the KPCB logo on their business cards. It really is a junior varsity over there. Newer partners like Bing Gordon and Ray Lane are seasoned operating executives and they bring value to the table, however they too haven't proved themselves with a big return.
My sense is that Doerr is desperately trying to groom KP's leadership. Problem is, he doesn't appear to be any good at it. Sadly, if Doerr goes for any reason, there is literally nobody there to watch the house.
The shine has rubbed off Kleiner's image, but they still have a chance to maintain that mythical leadership position if they can pull off a whale of a deal. Will that be Bloom? ng como? Fisker? Maybe Silver Spring will come up a winner, but that deal was funded in a much later round, not early stage. I look at their portfolio and I don't see dollar signs, save a few. Maybe.
Silicon Valley today is home to many good investors. Although several will be out of business by next year, there is still an ample stable of VC talent and money. Kleiner = John Doerr. But the chances of getting Doerr involved in your deal is zero. So that means you will be dealing with the JV, and then you have to ask yourself if that's what you want to do. In green tech, they'll take big gambles. But in high tech, no such luck. If you're going to give up 40% anyway, my suggestion is to go to a firm where you'll the get senior leadership directly involved.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyThe Gold Standard...
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by Anonymous on 2009-04-03
read on...
PRIVATE: Members Only (735 Characters)Ifund Application Abuse
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by Anonymous on 2008-12-03
Looks like KP wants to open source ifund business plans, after whatever they could glean for their portfolio companies. Link to techcrunch article here:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/12/03/...
Does anybody have access to the SQL file" Please post it to thefunded.com.
We are one of those who sumbitted to KP earlier this year, and our plan had confidential info about customer trials etc. I think KP should be sued, and Matt Murphy should be fired. Think about this, KP, before you abuse an entrepreneur: you could't manage a simple operation. He came across as very arrogant jerk in our brief encounter.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyRuthless Ray
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by Anonymous on 2008-12-02
Ray brings new meaning to the terms "no holds barred" and "all is fair in love and war." This guy will do anything to win, literally anything. Forget about ethics: he'll slander people in the media, steal intellectual property, take meetings under false pretenses, yank term sheets, invest in competing companies, etc. It may be a game to him, but real people get hurt with this type of behavior and industries face setbacks.
If that were not enough, some limited partners have whispered that his investments at KP have returned zero.
To be within this Ray's sphere of influence in business as either a friend or a foe is dangerous. If you get a meeting at KP and Ruthless Ray shows up, I would recommend that you walk out. You don't need the headache, and entrepreneurs should not support destructive behavior in any investor.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyMediocrity to the Rescue
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by Anonymous on 2008-10-05
"Capitalism to the Rescue" is a great puff piece in the Times about a firm that is no longer impressive. Maybe the original team was different, but the partners at Kleiner today are weak in comparison to most other top firms that we pitched in the valley. The team was not prepared. The questions were off the mark. The meeting drifted. Their market knowledge was mediocre. I can understand being off your game every once and a while, but our Kleiner experience did not measure up to the other "name brand" funds.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyRemember This Analogy When Pitching to a "Jr." Partner
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by ANON on 2008-06-15
Jr Partners are elephant hunters in a dense jungle with a bazooka with only one bullet. Something in the bushes makes a loud sound, the hunter swings around, aims and almost fires. But it's not an elephant, it's a wild turkey. Whew...
All entrepreneurs want to pitch to John Doerr, but it just ain't going to happen. You'll be delegated to an Ellen Pao or a Trae Vassallo or someone of the same junior status. That's the card you're dealt with, so stop bitching and start sharpening up your plan. These VCs are highly political organizations, complete with rank and hierarchy. They don't advertise it and they might even deny it (note: everyone is a Partner - how egalitarian of them), but it's there and it's thick. If you're a Jr. Partner, you want to bag an elephant. You better be damn honest with yourself about your plan and team. If it's not an elephant, it might as well be a turkey because you can be sure that the Juniors are not going to waste their one bullet on you. That's the only way they get respect, tenure, authority.
I've been the elephant and the turkey with Kleiner. Heed this advice.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyOpen Source Your Confidential Information
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by Anonymous on 2008-05-05
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PRIVATE: Members Only (610 Characters)Ifund Response
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by anonymous on 2008-04-10
Did anybody apply to KP iFund initiative.
If so how long it took from them to respond or anybody called into pitch. Please share your stories....
PRIVATE: Members OnlyPitched Matt Murphy: Tough, Though Fair
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by Anonymous on 2008-04-05
We pitched our company to Matt. Ultimately it wasn't a fit for a variety of reasons, though we learned some things in the process -- so worth our while. Throughout the process Matt was responsive, respectful, professional and asked good questions. If you are an IT company pitching KP -- he's a good resource.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyKleiner Perkins Team
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-12-16
Reading these posts, it appears as if it depends on which partner sponsors the deal.
PRIVATE: Members Only (218 Characters)The Real Value of Kp
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by TechChief on 2007-08-23
Let's face it. The real value of KPCB is it is the "Tiffany" brand in venture partnering. You take their money because you will (i) hire better sales and financial people and (ii) have an easier time doing follow on rounds if things go reasonably well and you need more money. Unless they are wildly interested in your sector, or you get Brooke or John on your board, you are not going to get much assistance from them in growing the business. In fact, most times their "ideas" are out of left field and disconnected with reality.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyDon't Do Show N Tells
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-05-13
If asked to send your slides in without a meeting -- refuse. Make it very clear that the ONLY reason for a meeting is to invest in your deal "as is." Don't do show-n-tells; often KP meets with people with no intention of investing -- it's called market research and their famous for it. That said, they're one of the best firms in the world due in part to their deal flow (i.e., you sending them your stuff). Like Sequoia they are (in reality) VERY CONSERVATIVE, like commercial bank lenders. Once your deal is close to being a "sure thing" post-Beta, get a meeting with a senior partner.
PRIVATE: Members Only (68 Characters)Great Performance in the Past. Hope They Keep It Up.
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-03-21
They have been one of the best for a long time. I hope they don't rest on their laurels and can cotinue to inspire entrepreneurs to build great products and companies.
PRIVATE: Members Only (331 Characters)