Profile

Rob Coneybeer

Rob Coneybeer brings to Shasta Ventures deep experience in building startup companies. Prior to co-founding Shasta Ventures, he was a general partner at New Enterprise Associates (NEA) where he led 15 early-stage investments in core infrastructure technologies spanning semiconductors, software and networking equipment.  Prior to joining the venture capital industry, Rob served as a lead integration and test engineer in the Astro Space division of Martin Marietta. While at Martin Marietta, Rob helped build the first EchoStar spacecraft.

Rob’s current areas of active interest include mobile, wireless, and sensors, as well as technology applications that leverage new infrastructure technologies in novel and creative ways.  He is particularly interested in startups that have discovered creative new approaches to connecting the “real world” to the Internet, whether via smartphones, low-cost sensors, or other innovative new devices.

Rob earned a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia.  He also holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was named a Palmer Scholar.

I am tremendously energized by working with entrepreneurs. Great entrepreneurs move mountains. They have a unique mix of charisma, intelligence, leadership and listening skills. They’re people that other people are drawn to. I love the fact that great entrepreneurs just make stuff happen. They know what they’re good at, and what they’re not good at, and they know how to build out their teams accordingly.

Great entrepreneurs also understand their customers better than anyone else.  They are driven to serve those customers with a superior experience, starting with an outstanding product that end-users find compelling, but also throughout every mode of interaction they have with their customers – whether via the web, retailers, VARs, phone, PR, or other direct and indirect interactions.  They create an experience so compelling that customers love their company and product, and a strong positive emotional bond is created between the startup and its customers.  As a result, their ability to monetize that relationship is based on value delivered instead of via “owning” or “capturing” the customer.

My involvement in the companies we invest in varies a great deal depending on the company and the entrepreneur. Basically, our objective at Shasta is to become the most valued board member of the companies in which we invest. For some companies that might mean talking once a month; for others it might mean talking every day. What’s important is that a CEO just picks up the phone and calls whenever he or she thinks we can be of help. And that’s different in every case.

I like to ask questions and help entrepreneurs make connections.  I make high-quality introductions whenever and wherever I can, whether it’s a potential partner or customer, or a resource like a recruiter. Every time I meet someone new I think about which company in the Shasta portfolio might benefit from an introduction to that person – regardless of whether or not I serve on their board. I enjoy that.

Sometimes people ask me about what I’ve done that I’m particularly proud of.  In 1998, I made a seed investment in a team of entrepreneurs who started a company called Growth Networks.  This company was successfully acquired by Cisco and the entrepreneurs  went on to become Cisco’s core carrier routing system team, responsible for the CRS-1. I get such a kick out of that! I helped make some connections; I put some people together. That’s what I get most excited about — helping entrepreneurs create something valuable that didn’t exist before.

On a more mundane topic, I really like breakfast meetings. Starting out the day with a great conversation is my favorite way to get fired up. And I love finding common interests with the people I work with, whether that’s squash, mountain biking or skiing. If I can get out of the office and have some exercise while having a good talk with someone, that’s really energizing.

 

Title

  • Managing Director

Expertise

  • Mobile & Wireless
  • Technology Applications
  • Infrastructure

Contact Info

"We are actively investing in an emerging wave of technology applications that connect the real world with the Internet."

Current Investments

Selected Prior Investments


Resources

Twitter

News & Events