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Hummer Winblad Venture Partners
Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, founded by Ann Winblad and John Hummer in 1989, is the first VC firm dedicated solely to software, backing over 150 companies.
Hummer Winblad Venture Partners
HUMMER WINBLAD VENTURE PARTNERS is a registered investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Year founded
1989
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
San Francisco
Corporate office
San Francisco, CA, United States
Principals
Ann Winblad
Co-Founder and Managing Director
John Hummer
Co-Founder and Managing Director
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Hummer Winblad?
Co-founders Ann Winblad and John Hummer remain active managing directors and sit on the investment committee. The firm's small partnership structure means investment decisions are made by the managing directors collectively.
How does Hummer Winblad source proprietary deal flow?
The firm's long history in enterprise software gives it deep relationships with founders, executives, and industry technologists. Winblad has cultivated a network spanning decades, which generates repeat referrals and pre-empted deal flow.
Is Hummer Winblad structured as a single family office or a venture firm?
Hummer Winblad is structured as a traditional venture capital firm, not a family office. It was founded as an independent partnership and has raised institutional capital from limited partners including endowments, foundations, and pension funds.
Does Hummer Winblad participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The firm does direct venture investments. It does not publicly disclose any fund-of-funds or allocation to external managers.
What investment stages does Hummer Winblad typically target?
The firm focuses on Series A and Series B rounds, typically leading or co-leading. It looks for capital-efficient business models where a concentrated investment can achieve meaningful ownership.
Which sectors does Hummer Winblad explicitly avoid?
The firm avoids non-software sectors entirely, including life sciences, hardware, cleantech, and direct consumer internet. It has maintained this focus since 1989 (public record).
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
Hummer Winblad is not a family office and does not manage wealth for any single family. Its capital comes from institutional LPs. Winblad and Hummer are reported to have personal wealth from their successful software careers and venture returns, but the firm's capital base is not family-originated.
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