Today we are recognizing those individuals who have made significant contributions to the firm’s growth and reputation, and have added strategic value to our portfolio companies.
We’re pleased to announce the promotions of Dr. Robert Mittendorff to Principal, Sumer Juneja to Principal, and Lisa Wu to Vice President.
These promotions reflect our ongoing investment in these talented individuals across multiple stages and sectors.
Promotions
DR. ROBERT MITTENDORFF, PRINCIPAL
Dr. Robert Mittendorff has been promoted to Principal in recognition of his contributions to NVP’s healthcare practice. As a physician, Robert has a deep understanding of patient and physician needs and has demonstrated business acumen in identifying and supporting companies which are commercializing significant medical innovation.
Since joining Norwest Venture Partners in early 2012, Robert has exhibited leadership and enthusiastically participated in all areas of our business (healthcare venture and growth, as well as consumer and enterprise opportunities).
Robert is focused on the healthcare sector, including digital health and healthcare IT, technology enabled healthcare services, medical devices and diagnostics. His contributions to our portfolio companies have been noted by CEOs, particularly as he has helped attract and recruit talent to their leadership teams. He is a well-respected and sought after advisor with a unique and well-rounded skill set that is critical in today’s complex and changing healthcare environment.
His key investments include IntersectENT, iRhythm, and ICardiac. He currently serves on the board of iCardiac, is a board observer at IntersectENT and iRhythm, and was involved in evaluating initial investments in Misfit Wearables and Health Catalyst. He also has contributed to Simpirica Spine and BASIS.
Robert truly exhibits our firm’s values of domain expertise, dedication, hard work, and passion.
Prior to NVP, Robert was the Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Hansen Medical Inc. (Nasdaq: HNSN). During his tenure, he launched multiple products, including the Magellan and Sensei X robotic systems, and was involved in leading products from concept to first commercial shipment. As a corporate officer, Robert also led the Company’s partnerships with GE, Siemens, Philips and St. Jude Medical and executed transactions totaling over $100M. He created the Scientific Advisory Board and participated in two public financings.
Prior to Hansen Medical, Robert worked across the medical device, pharmaceutical and biotech sectors with experience at a number of companies, working in strategic, business development and marketing capacities.
Robert is also a board certified emergency physician who completed his residency training at Stanford. Robert received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He received his B.S. in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University and competed on the varsity soccer team. He has completed fellowships under the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (neuroscience), MIT Sloan School of Management, and Harvard Business School.
SUMER JUNEJA, PRINCIPAL
Sumer has made significant contributions to NVP’s business success. Specifically, he has co-sponsored several successful opportunities including Cholamandalam Finance, ING Vysya Bank and Komli Media.
He has also worked on several investments such as Indusind Bank, Quikr, Sadbhav infrastructure, Shriram City Union Finance, and Yes Bank.
Sumer serves as an advisor on venture capital and growth equity investments in Indian companies across a wide range of sectors, including telecom, technology, consumer, financial services and infrastructure.
Sumer is an outstanding contributor to the NVP India team. He is well respected among entrepreneurs in India and has added strategic value to our portfolio companies in a variety of key areas. Sumer has brought several interesting investment opportunities to Norwest via his reputation and the strong relationships he has cultivated. His hard work over the years has been invaluable.
Before joining NVP India in 2009, Sumer was a founding member of the Goldman Sachs’ Asian Special Situations Group in India, a balance sheet investing group with over $4 billion under management. In this role, Sumer originated and evaluated investment opportunities in a broad range of industries, conducted due diligence and had board level involvement with such companies as Bharti Infratel, IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd., IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd. (ITNL), Cremica and OnMobile.
Prior to this role, Sumer was an analyst for the Industrial and Natural Resources Team in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs. In this position, Sumer actively drove all aspects of the M&A process including financial analysis, due diligence and public and private buy-side and sell-side transactions. Transaction experience included acquisition of Paladin Resources by Talisman Energy, acquisition of Domnick Hunter by Parker Hannifin and advising Thames Water, a UK water utility, on the divestiture of its international assets valued at over $2 billion.
Sumer obtained his B.S. degree in politics and economics from the London School of Economics.
LISA WU, VICE PRESIDENT
Lisa focuses on early to late stage venture investments across a wide range of sectors at NVP, with an emphasis on consumer Internet.
Lisa has helped establish NVP’s presence in New York over the last two years. She has been the face of NVP in New York – as a speaker, visiting incubators, networking with NYC-based entrepreneurs, and spearheading thought-leadership events.
Lisa has sourced many NYC-based opportunities for the consumer sector team and has significantly surpassed her goals at NVP. She is persistent and creative in establishing important connections, and her network reflects this.
As an example, Lisa sourced our investment in STELLAService, a leading customer service performance and data ratings company. She has deep roots in the consumer internet space and has exhibited a passion for targeting and pursuing unique investment opportunities in the NYC area.
As Vice President, Lisa will continue to serve as the primary liaison in the NYC market. She is a true champion of our mission and brand, and we are pleased to announce her promotion today.
Before joining the NVP team, Lisa worked as an intern in Amazon.com‘s Worldwide Corporate Development team. In this role, she identified and evaluated acquisition targets and strategic investments for Amazon and provided strategies for potential expansion. Prior to Amazon, Lisa worked at Bessemer Venture Partners, where she originated and conducted due diligence on early to growth stage investment opportunities, including several top eCommerce, SaaS, consumer Internet, and healthcare IT companies. Lisa has also worked in the venture capital arm of Comcast Corporation, and earlier, Lisa founded BANZAI! Fresh, a small business providing high-quality, nutritious foods to schools and hospitals in Northern California. Lisa began her career in the investment banking group at Merrill Lynch.
Lisa holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a double major in marketing and entrepreneurial management. While at Wharton, Lisa won first place at the International Venture Capital Investment Competition. Lisa also holds a bachelor of science, with honors, in business administration from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley.
