Bio
Joanna Rees founded VSP Capital (VSP), a San-Francisco based venture capital firm, in late 1996 on the principle that strategic positioning and market development are crucial to the success of all technology businesses, i.e. "good marketing and sales always beat great technology". VSP invests in early stage best of breed technologies and applies deep expertise in addressing market risk. VSP has found that few companies fail because their technology does not work, yet companies clearly succeed when they find customers and generate sustainable revenue. VSP believes that market development must occur in tandem with technology development. Joanna focuses on consumer technology and marketing software & services investments. Joanna currently serves on the Board of Directors of Posit Science, Sabrix, AccountNow, Danger, QuinStreet and The Threshold Group. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). Joanna has significant experience in finance and investment banking including positions at BA Securities and a boutique merchant bank, Vrolyk & Co. She also brings deep expertise in marketing and strategy, and has held several senior marketing management positions with Groupe Danone, a $20+ billion global consumer products firm, with her last position as head of New Product Development. Joanna began her career at DMB&B, working with clients such as General Foods, Digital Equipment Corp, Texaco and RJR Nabisco. VSP exits include Post Communications acquired by Netcentives (NASDAQ: NTVS); Stonyfield Farms acquired by Groupe Danone (NYSE: DA); Mirra acquired by Seagate Technology Holdings Inc (NYSE: STX); AllBusiness acquired by NBCi; Rentport acquired by Trans Union LLC; ZipRealty (NASDAQ: ZIPR); Oddpost acquired by Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO); MusicNow acquired by Circuit City (NYSE: CC); Attenza (acquired by Skywire) and DealerWire acquired by DealerTrack (NASDAQ: TRAK). She earned her MBA from Columbia University (beta gamma sigma) and a BS from Duke University where she was a member of the varsity gymnastics team.
Career
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West VenturesEmail: [email protected] |