Jim Goetz
- Seed/Early
- +
- Growth
Every legendary founder started as an unknown underdog.
Backstory
The risk-seeking part of my personality defined my early days. Accepting dares as an adolescent led to plenty of trouble with the establishment. I eventually learned to channel that spirit productively when I co-founded VitalSigns, which Sequoia eventually backed. But what really shaped my arc was mentorship. When I decided to join Sequoia rather than start another business, it was because I wanted to be mentored by others. For six months, I silently shadowed Michael, Doug, Don and Pierre Lamond to board meetings. They wanted me to see how different they all were, and encouraged me to find an approach authentic to me.
A few years in, most partners hit a period of self-doubt. The lemons have fallen from the tree, but the winners haven’t shown up yet. You think, “I suck.” The psychological elements of venture and seed keep us humble. Prospect theory, domain of gains, and endowment effect all become important considerations. It’s been a joy for me to help younger partners pull through that phase of development.
Trusting and empowering the next generation is something Don, Michael and Doug started—and I’ve been very happy to continue it. Sequoia has stood the test of time because our culture is larger than any of us; it’s not about one person’s power or economic need. You don’t see that much on Sand Hill Road or Wall Street, and I’m honored to be part of it.
On the lookout for
The collision of ambition and intelligence is the foundation. A modern business model is part of the ante. An ability to develop culture and magnet qualities for talent are wonderful soft skills. Prior success leading an organization or honing your skills at another great startup is a fantastic path to entrepreneurship.
We also look for tenacity and a growth mindset. People assume entrepreneurship is “up and to the right,” but it’s really defined by struggle and challenges. Having gone through that darkness myself, I love being on the journey with them, helping them craft their own authentic culture and being present during critical moments.
I could rattle off 10 categories we’re actively landscaping, but I’m more interested in what’s not in our landscapes.
Get in touch with JimPersonal Side
- Detroit native
- Beginning biohacker
- Slang enthusiast
- Philanthropist
- Miami Transplant
Press & Media
Companies
Current Companies
| Company Name | Short Description | Current Stage | Founders | First Partnered | collapse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon | Carbon is transforming 3D printing through the process of light extrusion. | Growth |
| Early (2013) | Collapse |
| Clari | Clari is an end-to-end sales analytics and forecasting platform for revenue teams. | Growth |
| Early (2012) | Collapse |
| Dashlane | Dashlane secures users' digital identity across a wide range of platforms and devices. | Growth |
| Growth (2019) | Collapse |
| Observable | Observable is a web-based platform for data practitioners. | Growth |
| Pre-Seed/Seed (2016) | Collapse |
| Semgrep | Semgrep is a code scanning platform for finding first and third-party security vulnerabilities in your code base. | Growth |
| Pre-Seed/Seed (2017) | Collapse |
| Versa Networks | Versa Networks is an elastic network services platform. | Growth |
| Early (2012) | Collapse |
Enduring Companies
| Company Name | Short Description | Current Stage | Founders | First Partnered | collapse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AdMob | AdMob, now part of Google, is a pay-per click marketplace for mobile apps. | Acquired |
| Early (2006) | Collapse |
| Barracuda | Barracuda Networks provides security, application delivery and data protection Solutions. | IPO |
| Early (2005) | Collapse |
| GitHub | GitHub is the system of record for code, now part of Microsoft. | Acquired |
| Growth (2015) | Collapse |
| HubSpot | HubSpot builds all-in-one marketing software. | IPO |
| Early (2011) | Collapse |
| Jasper | Jasper, now part of Cisco, builds cloud-based platforms for the Internet of Things. | Acquired |
| Early (2005) | Collapse |
| Jive Software | Jive pioneered Social Business Software combining the power of social networking, collaboration and community. | Acquired |
| Early (2007) | Collapse |
| Meraki | Meraki, now part of Cisco, provides routing and security solutions. | Acquired |
| Early (2006) | Collapse |
| Neeva | Neeva is search reimagined—ad-free, private and deeply personal. | Acquired |
| Early (2019) | Collapse |
| Nimble Storage | Nimble Storage, now part of Hewlett-Packard, builds hardware and software for data storage. | IPO |
| Early (2008) | Collapse |
| Okta | Okta is an identity-management service that securely and simply connects people to their applications. | IPO |
| Growth (2012) | Collapse |
| Palo Alto Networks | Palo Alto Networks is a global cybersecurity leader focused on the cloud. | IPO |
| Early (2005) | Collapse |
| Quantenna | Quantenna manufactured next-generation low-power wireless semiconductors focused on Wi-Fi networks. | Acquired |
| Early (2006) | Collapse |
| Ruckus Networks | Ruckus Networks, now part of CommScope, is a pioneer in the wireless infrastructure market for high bandwidth applications and services. | IPO |
| Early (2002) | Collapse |
| ThousandEyes | ThousandEyes provides network intelligence for the cloud. | Acquired |
| Pre-Seed/Seed (2011) | Collapse |
| WhatsApp, now part of Facebook, is an end-to-end encrypted mobile messenger app. | Acquired |
| Early (2011) | Collapse |