Winners Will Be Honored at NVCA Leadership Gala on March 8

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) today announced the recipients and finalists for its annual awards to that will be presented at the NVCA Leadership Gala on March 8, 2017 at the Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, CA.  In addition to the Lifetime Achievement in Venture Capital Award, Outstanding Service Award and American spirit Award, NVCA has added three new categories to the lineup this year.  They include the Rising Star Award, Excellence in Healthcare Innovation Award and the Venture Firm of the Year Award.

The 2017 recipients and finalists include:

Lifetime Achievement in Venture Capital

Recipient:        Bill Draper, Draper Richards

Outstanding Service Award

Recipient:        Ross Jaffe, Versant Ventures

American Spirit Award

Recipient:        Ray Leach, JumpStart Inc.

Rising Star Award

Finalists:           Payal Agrawal Divakaran, .406 Ventures

Alex Kurland, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers

Kristina Shen, Bessemer Venture Partners

Excellence in Healthcare Innovation

Finalists:           Annie Lamont, Oak HC/FT

Jack Lasersohn, The Vertical Group

Mark Levin, Third Rock Ventures

Venture Firm of the Year

Finalists:           Emergence Capital

Meritech Capital Partners

True Ventures

 About the Awards

Lifetime Achievement in Venture Capital Award

The Lifetime Achievement in Venture Capital Award was created to recognize venture professionals who have dedicated their professional lives to creating and building successful and highly competitive venture firms as well as portfolio companies that have made a significant contribution to the growth and success of the U.S. economy.  Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award were instrumental in the formation and growth of the venture capital industry and have consistently set high performance standards for the entire industry.

Previous recipients: Chuck Newhall, Mike Moritz, Mark Heesen, Arthur Rock, Sam Colella, Felda Hardymon, James Blair, Brook Byers, Jean Deleage, Anthony Evnin, Grant Heidrich, Jim Swartz, Bill Hambrecht, Sandy Robertson, Thomas Weisel, Edward Glassmeyer, Peter Crisp, Henry McCance, Paul Wythes, Lionel Pincus, Pitch Johnson, Richard Kramlich, Stanley Golder, Burton McMurtry, Reid Dennis, Peter Brooke, Thomas Perkins, Stanley Golder and David Morgenthaler.

Outstanding Service Award

The Outstanding Service Award was created to recognize the exceptional service of an NVCA Director or NVCA member who has committed an extraordinary amount of time, resources and dedication to Association efforts that in turn benefits the entire venture industry.  The dedication has raised the visibility of the industry to key legislators and regulators and helped to educate them regarding the pivotal role of venture capital to this economy.

Previous recipients: Diana Frazier, Josh Green, Kate Mitchell, Steve Frederick, Ted Schlein, Warburg Pincus, Jack Lasersohn, Sarah Reed, John Martinson, Robert Pavey, Rodney Goldstein, E. Roe Stamps, M. Kathleen Behrens, Steven Lazarus, Harry T. Rein, Patricia Cloherty, John Doerr and Christopher Brody.

American Spirit Award

The American Spirit Award was created to recognize NVCA members who have shown philanthropic leadership by applying business skills, knowledge, expertise and resources to make an outstanding contribution to society.

Previous recipients: Jeff Fagnan, Robin Richards Donohoe, William Sahlman, Peter Bancroft, Chuck Newhall, Joe Aragona, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, John Doerr, Alan Patricof, William Bowes, Peter Wendell, Floyd Kvamme, William Draper III, Martin Koldyke and Gib Myers.

Rising Star Award

The Rising Star Award was created to recognize the next generation of venture capital professionals who are rising through ranks and establishing themselves as future standard bearers of the industry.  Recipients of the award have demonstrated a mastery of venture capital investing gleaned through a relatively short amount of time in the industry and are widely recognized by their peers and others as emerging leaders of the venture capital industry.

Previous Recipients: NA

Excellence in Healthcare Innovation Award

For over three decades, venture capital has been at the forefront of some of the greatest advancements in medicine, pushing the boundaries of medical innovation and spurring the creation of the biotechnology and medical device industries.  The Excellence in Healthcare Innovation Award was created to recognize those who have demonstrated a clear commitment to the advancement of healthcare innovation through their investment in and support of groundbreaking medical companies that are working on treatments and cures for the most deadly and costly diseases.

Previous Recipients: NA

Venture Firm of the Year Award

The Venture Firm of the Year Award was created to recognize venture capital firms for their significant contributions to advance the entrepreneurial ecosystem and generate returns for their investors.  Firms receiving the award are recognized for strong fund performance and high exit multiples for recent exits.

Previous Recipients: NA