Highland Capital Partners

Infobox_Company
company_
company_name = Highland Capital Partners
company_type = LLC
founder = Paul Maeder, Bob Higgins
foundation = 1988
location =
industry = Private equity, Venture Capital
products = Private equity funds
assets = $2.6 billion
homepage = [http://www.hcp.com/ www.hcp.com]

Highland Capital Partners is an private equity investment firm that focuses on venture capital investments in seed, early, and growth stage companies in the communications, consumer, digital media, healthcare and information technology sectors.

Founded in 1988, the company is headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts and has offices in Menlo Park, California, Geneva, Switzerland and Shanghai, China.

Highland Consumer was formed by Highland in 2006 to target early-stage retail and consumer opportunities. The firm finished fundraising in 2007 with over $300 million of investor commitments, exceeding its $250 million target. [ [http://www.altassets.net/news/arc/2007/nz11264.php Highland Consumer Fund closes on $300m] . AltAssets, 11/07/2007]

Investments and investment funds

Highland typically the first institutional investor in the companies they back. [ [http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/gen/company.html?gcode=C121EAD1C1B44F3F8CC8FC243A93A84F About Highland Capital Partners, Inc.] ]

From inception in 1988 through the middle of 2008, the firm has raised six venture capital funds with aggregate investor commitments of approximately $2.6 billion:
* 1988 — Highland Capital Partners ($78 million)
* 1992 — Highland Capital Partners II ($86 million)
* 2000 — Highland Capital Partners V ($505 million)
* 2001 — Highland Capital Partners VI ($808 million)
* 2006 — Highland Capital Partners VII ($800 million)
* 2007 — Highland Consumer Fund I ($303 million)

Notable investments

The company has invested some $1.8 billion in more than 170 companies since its founding. [ [http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/99/99739.html Yahoo! Highland Capital Partners, Inc. Company Profile] ] Among Highland's most notable current and former investments are:columns | g

col1 =
*Lycos
*Ask Jeeves
*Sybase
*MapQuest
*Telica
*VistaPrint
*CheckFree

col2 =
*Lululemon Athletica
*City Sports
*Ocarina Networks
*Glassesdirect
*Gotuit
*EXACT Sciences
*Odyssey HealthCare.

col3 =
*Digg
* StyleFeeder"Source: Company website [ [http://www.hcp.com/companies/companies.php All Portfolio Companies] ] "

Current and former employees

In February 2005, Thomas G. Stemberg, the founder and former CEO of Staples joined Highland. [ [http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/4299665-1.html Founder and Former CEO of Staples Joins Highland Capital Partners] ] Other notable members of the team include Bob Davis, the founder of Lycos, and Wycliffe Grousbeck, who reduced his role in Highland to become managing partner and co-owner of the Boston Celtics.

Other

Highland Capital Partners is not affiliated with Highland Capital Management, the multi billion dollar distressed investment firm and hedge fund sponsor and mutual fund manager based in Dallas, Texas.

References

* [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/jobs/24advi.html The Rebirth of Venture Capitalism] . New York Times, September 24, 2006
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9401E7D7143CF931A25750C0A9639C8B63 COMPANY NEWS; STAPLES NAMES ITS CHIEF AS CHAIRMAN] . New York Times, March 12, 2005

External links

* [http://www.hcp.com/ Highland Capital Partners] (company website)
* [http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=20955 Businesweek Private Company Profile]
* [http://www.fundingpost.com/venturefund/venture-fund-profile.asp?fund=421 Venture Fund Member Profile]