3.8
3.3 
3.0 
3.4 
3.1 Feedback On Axel Bichara
Fund: Atlas Venture
Posted by Anonymous on 2008-05-13
trying to get a read on whether he is trustworthy and straight. having a hard tme getting a read. one company i know had a wierd experience.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyDefinately Get A Partner Or Its Market Research
Fund: Atlas Venture
Posted by Euroman on 2008-03-06
Atlas remain one of the few Europe based VCs doing early stage biotech but this is very limited. Like most they have retreated e.g. spin-outs from pharma companies and later stage investments. They clearly work hard but are prone to being late and for a number of people not turning up. They use pitches as market research for some of their portfolio companies and ideas, make sure you have done your groundwork.
PRIVATE: Members Only (818 Characters)Letting The Operators Do Their Thing
Fund: Atlas Venture
Posted by jscohen99 on 2008-02-05
Atlas seed funded us after a very quick process (<2 mos). Because we were coming from jump they spent a fair bit of time thinking through the business with us and the plan to get to market. Once we had the funding in place they've allowed us to get on with it.
PRIVATE: Members Only (552 Characters)Great Fund, Several Stars
Fund: Atlas Venture
Posted by cereal on 2008-01-17
I give Atlas high marks, not because they have funded some great companies I know (including one of mine), but because I have seen their team execute before, during, and after the deal.
Atlas has some great hardworking partners, and I can personally recommend Axel Bichara, Eric Jerpe, and Jeff Fagnan. But honestly, the entire team (I don't know about the biotech folks at all) has helped us at some point.
I have relied on the team and my Atlas investors for crucially important advice and support. It doesn't come up that often, but when we really need to execute an op at warp speed, they really mobilize each and every time.
The most important contribution, in my opinion, has been help in recruiting top talent. Like any startup, we grow in bursts, and we need top talent, and we need to move quickly. These guys really scramble then. Excellent. There are several positions we filled, where Atlas guys made the difference - totally sealing the deal. Some key hires took months, and I know some Atlas partners who have phenomenal endurance. Jeff Fagnan could push a car up a mountain. My team has to work hard, so I like to see investors who do too.
Inside Atlas are some partners investing aggressively in wild, early-stage plays. It seems like they are funding really interesting deals these days. I recommend snooping around the partner directory, or asking around, as some of the partners are doing very early-stage deals in interesting spaces. Atlas is a big firm, so it is important to get a partner who is a good fit for you and your company.
I have watched Atlas drive several great deals to exit with some companies I know (and with founders I know). And they worked with the founders on those to make sure they were happy with the timing and the structure. They work with me and my founders (and our CEO), to make sure we stay happy too.
Oh and I can always get a hold of them instantly and they are on time (early actually) for our meetings. So I don't know what that other post was about.
Diligence took a while, but we were a radical company raising a Round A in a tough economy. Deal terms were tough but fair. The negotiation process went fine. We had a term sheet for higher valuation and better terms, but the Atlas team more than made up for a slightly lower valuation. In hind sight, a no brainer win for us.
Two thumbs up. I would work with Atlas again (and again).
PRIVATE: Members Only (1106 Characters)Eric Hjerpe Smart And Very Professional
Fund: Atlas Venture
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-12-23
I did a couple pitches in Boston this week and one was with Eric Hjerpe. He is outstanding -- patient, smart and helpful... and this is coming from a guy that got shot down by Eric.
PRIVATE: Members Only (501 Characters)VISIT:
French Snobs
Fund: Atlas Venture
Posted by robitussin on 2007-05-12
They reached out to us and invited us to come in and pitch. In each of three meetings in SF they were either late or didn't show up at all, were rude and constantly interrupted our presentations, and just flat out had no respect for our industry expertise or our time. In contrast to every other VC their behavior was flatly unprofessional. It is no wonder they don't get in on many of the good deals, at least in the US. It's one thing to be arrogant, it's another thing to have fervent opinions in a space in which they have absolutely no authority. Complete waste of time. We finally killed the due diligence because we couldn't imagine any of these guys as productive board members should they actually invest.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyThe Best Screening Funnel
Fund: Atlas Venture
Posted by leafar on 2007-05-10
I am not out of it, yet ! But it's probably the cleanest and most effective screening funnel i've experienced
PRIVATE: Members OnlyAtlas Ventures Has No Map
Fund: Atlas Venture
Posted by gigabytems on 2007-01-08
some very good people with this firm, although the euro nature of the firm has with it some extremely snobby partners. they leave you alone, way too much. no support beyond the cash infusion.
PRIVATE: Members Only (288 Characters)