Len joined Madrona in January 2010. He is interested in software, hardware, and analytics systems that transform work and economics for big industries and consumer products that change how we see, hear, feel, and sense life. He most enjoys working with entrepreneurs on building their teams to last and scale.

Journey to Madrona

Len has served on the boards of 20+ early-stage companies and has been a director or executive at three companies that have completed initial public offerings. Before joining Madrona, Len was a partner at Frazier Technology Ventures, where he was directly involved in several investments, including Control4 and DocuSign. Prior to his career in venture, Len spent 16 years in the software industry, including as senior vice president at RealNetworks from 1996-2001 (RNWK-Nasdaq). Len’s team released four major versions of the RealSystem software platform and generated the majority of the company’s more than 100% annual revenue growth during the period. Before joining RealNetworks, Len was president of Creative Multimedia, Inc. (acquired by IHS- NYSE INFO). He started his software career in product management for Central Point Software before it was acquired by Symantec (SYMC- Nasdaq).

Lessons learned

1. Breakthrough technology and market ideas should make you a little uncomfortable. Disruptive products that revolutionize the way people do things will include risk. Identifying the risks and developing execution plans to overcome them is crucial.
2. Investing in a compelling initial market, product, and strategy is important. But markets, customer dynamics, platforms, and competition will change, so the essential factor is backing a team with exceptional abilities to consistently identify new market opportunities, products, and go-to-market strategies to reach them. The people who create, reinvent and execute the playbook are more important than the playbook.

When he’s not in the office…

Len is past president of the Seattle Country Day School Board of Trustees, a founding board member of Seattle United Soccer Club, and has coached and played soccer his entire life. He enjoys spending time trying to keep up with his four children, runs occasionally and is remembering how to play tennis.

Noteworthy

Len graduated magna cum laude from the Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah with bachelor’s degrees in finance and economics.