Laurie Yoler

Over 20 years spearheading the development, commercialization, market launch and market expansion of emerging technologies worldwide. Worked in large established companies as well as seed-stage start-ups. Experience serving on the boards of private and public companies, venture capital firms and non-profits. Extensive experience raising capital for companies in technology and cleantech.

Laurie Yoler’s Specialties:

Raising venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, business development, strategic planning, global sales and marketing, product development, product management, market development, strategic alliances, intellectual property strategy and management consulting.

Laurie Yoler’s Experience

Vice Chairman of the Board

Washington State University Research Foundation

(Research industry)

October 2007 — Present (1 year 10 months)

The Washington State University Research Foundation (WSURF) is a Washington nonprofit corporation. Its mission is to benefit Washington State University, its employees, and the public in the transfer of technology through the commercialization and licensing of inventions and other intellectual property, and the management and development of the WSU Research and Technology Park.
Managing Director

GrowthPoint Technology Partners

(Partnership; 11-50 employees; Investment Banking industry)

February 2006 — Present (3 years 6 months)

GrowthPoint Technology Partners is an investment bank in Palo Alto, CA with a very strong network of investors in the US and Europe. We provide M&A, fundraising, and strategic advisory services to a wide range of technology and cleantech companies around the world. As former CEOs, executives, board members, investors and advisors, we bring a wealth of strategic, technical, operational, and financial experience to our clients.
Board of Advisors

DNA Direct

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Biotechnology industry)

July 2005 — Present (4 years 1 month)

DNA Direct is a privately held company, incorporated in the fall of 2003, located on the San Francisco waterfront in California. They are staffed by a group of dedicated individuals and genetic experts committed to building a genetic testing service that empowers health care consumers.
Founding Board Member

Tesla Motors

(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Automotive industry)

September 2003 — May 2008 (4 years 9 months)

Served on the board of this exciting electric car company from its founding days. On July 1, 2002, the founders set out to create a better car for the world. The vision was a car that was energy efficient but also good looking and fun to drive. Tesla Motors brought together a passionate team of engineers and designers from both the technology and auto industries that are now hard at work on this ambitious goal.
Board of Directors

Palo Alto Junior Museum

(Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Non-Profit Organization Management industry)

August 2003 — December 2005 (2 years 5 months)

Board member on this non-profit focused on science education for grade-school children.
Chief Development Officer

Intellectual Ventures

(Privately Held; Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)

September 2004 — July 2005 (11 months)

Intellectual Ventures is a private firm founded in 2000 to invest in innovation and invention. While most venture capital firms invest in the business of technology (including start-ups that design and manufacture products), Intellectual Ventures invests in pure invention: creating, funding and commercializing innovative new ideas.
Co-founder and VP, BD & Marketing

Precision I/O

(Privately Held; Computer Networking industry)

March 2003 — September 2004 (1 year 7 months)

Responsible for all of the business development and marketing functions for this private technology company focused on high-speed server networking with Ethernet and IP. Precision I/O was the third of the Packet Design LLC spin-outs.
VP, Biz Dev and Marketing

Packet Design LLC

(Privately Held; Computer Networking industry)

March 2001 — September 2004 (3 years 7 months)

Packet Design LLC was an IP networking technology R&D fund that took new innovations to the prototype/market validation stage, then seed funded and spun out new companies (Vernier Networks, Packet Design Inc., and Precision I/O) to commercialize the products. I performed a wide range of functions required to launch each new company:
· Market Assessment/Competitive Analysis
· Market Validation
· Business Planning
· Partner Strategy/Contract Negotiations
· Fund Raising
· Recruiting
· Marketing
Board of Advisors

Index Ventures

(Partnership; 11-50 employees; Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)

November 1998 — December 2001 (3 years 2 months)

Served on the technical advisory board of this European venture capital firm focused on IT and life sciences investments.
Board of Directors

Interactive Investor International

(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Internet industry)

March 1999 — August 2001 (2 years 6 months)

Served on the board of this Internet financial services portal in the UK. We took the company public in 2000. The company was acquired by AMP Bank in 2001.
Director, Ventures and Corporate Development

Sun Microsystems

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; SUNW; Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)

November 1993 — March 2001 (7 years 5 months)

Worked in a variety of positions at Sun including corporate development, venture capital, business development, marketing and sales management positions, including three years based in Geneva, Switzerland as the sales director for financial markets for Europe, Middle East and Africa. While in Europe, selected as a member of the EU Financial Issues Working Group.
Director, Product Development and Management

Visa

(Partnership; 201-500 employees; Financial Services industry)

November 1990 — November 1993 (3 years 1 month)

Developed, launched and managed the Visa Check Card and launched the Visa Supermarket Program to get POS readers into supermarkets. Advised banks on risk management strategies to minimize fraud and credit losses.
Consulting Manager

Coopers and Lybrand

(Partnership; 10,001 or more employees; Management Consulting industry)

July 1990 — November 1990 (5 months)

Consulting Manager for West Coast advanced technology projects, with a focus on expert systems.
Management Consultant

Accenture

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Management Consulting industry)

August 1986 — July 1990 (4 years)

Managed consulting engagements involving the implementation of mainframe, minicomputer and PC-based software using a wide variety of packaged and custom software. Acted as technical “expert” in the field of Artificial Intelligence.

Laurie Yoler’s Education

INSEAD

Executive Management in Finance
Københavns Universitet

International Business
Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management

Executive Management - M&A
Washington State University

BA , MIS/Computer Science

Additional Information

Laurie Yoler’s Websites:

Laurie Yoler’s Interests:

Kickboxing, skiing, running the Stanford “Dish”, wine tasting, and singing in a choir.

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Laurie Yoler’s Summary

Laurie Yoler’s Specialties:

Laurie Yoler’s Experience

Vice Chairman of the Board

Washington State University Research Foundation

Managing Director

GrowthPoint Technology Partners

Board of Advisors

Founding Board Member

Board of Directors

Palo Alto Junior Museum

Chief Development Officer

Co-founder and VP, BD & Marketing

VP, Biz Dev and Marketing

Board of Advisors

Board of Directors

Director, Ventures and Corporate Development

Director, Product Development and Management

Consulting Manager

Management Consultant

Laurie Yoler’s Education

INSEAD

Københavns Universitet

Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management

Washington State University

Additional Information

Laurie Yoler’s Websites:

Laurie Yoler’s Interests:

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