John Jarve

Partner Emeritus

John Jarve

John joined Menlo Ventures in 1985. Over the past 30 years, he has led Menlo’s investments in nearly 50 portfolio companies, primarily in the communications, storage, semiconductor, internet, and financial technology sectors. He currently sits on the boards of Betterment, Credit Sesame, and DataXu.

John has been the lead investor in multiple venture capital funded companies that have had successful IPOs including UUNET Technologies, the world’s largest Internet access provider (UUNT), Digital Insight, the pioneering leader in Internet banking (DGIN), Cavium Networks, the leading provider of security communication chips (CAVM), Ascend Communications (ASND), FaxSav (EASY), iBasis (IBAS), SpectraLink (SLNK), and Syntellect (SXNT).

Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, John spent his childhood in Martins Ferry, a coal mining and steel town in southeast Ohio. Despite dire financial circumstances after the loss of both his parents as a teenager, John attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (B.S. and M.S. in electrical engineering) and credits the University’s need-blind admissions with his ability to achieve a world-class education. John then went on to receive his MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

John is a life member of the MIT Board of Trustees (known as the Corporation) and is the former president of the MIT Alumni Association. He is a member of the Stanford GSB Advisory Council and has also served as chairman of the Stanford GSB Management Board.

Betterment
Betterment is a financial robo-advisor dedicated to helping people reach their investment goals.

Milestones

  • 2008 - Founded
  • 2012 - Partnered, Series B

Leadership

Sarah Levy
CEO
Cavium
Cavium was a provider of highly integrated semiconductor processors that enabled intelligent networking, communications, storage, video and security applications.

Milestones

  • 2000 - Founded
  • 2002 - Partnered, Series B
  • 2007 - IPO; NASDAQ: CAVM

Partners

Credit Sesame
Credit Sesame helps people take control of their credit and save money with smarter loans.

Milestones

  • 2010 - Founded
  • 2011 - Partnered, Series B

Partners

DataXu
DataXu was an enterprise data and analytics company that offered DX3, the first fully integrated omni-channel marketing management platform.

Milestones

  • 2009 - Founded
  • 2010 - Partnered, Series B
  • 2019 - Acquired by Roku

Partners

Ascend Communications

Ascend Communications, Inc. designed and manufactured equipment for high-density dial-up installations.
Acquired by Lucent Technologies
Ascend Communications, Inc. designed and manufactured equipment for high-density dial-up installations.

Milestones

  • 1988 - Founded
  • 1991 - Partnered
  • 1999 - Acquired

Partners

Cavium

Cavium was a provider of highly integrated semiconductor processors that enabled intelligent networking, communications, storage, video and security applications.
NASDAQ: CAVM
Cavium was a provider of highly integrated semiconductor processors that enabled intelligent networking, communications, storage, video and security applications.

Milestones

  • 2000 - Founded
  • 2002 - Partnered, Series B
  • 2007 - IPO; NASDAQ: CAVM

Partners

DataXu

DataXu was an enterprise data and analytics company that offered DX3, the first fully integrated omni-channel marketing management platform.
Acquired by Roku
DataXu was an enterprise data and analytics company that offered DX3, the first fully integrated omni-channel marketing management platform.

Milestones

  • 2009 - Founded
  • 2010 - Partnered, Series B
  • 2019 - Acquired by Roku

Partners

Digital Insight

Digital Insight was a provider of online banking software to banks and credit unions. It also designed FinanceWorks, a product that allowed customers to manage their finances.
NASDAQ: DGIN, later acquired by NCR

FaxSav

FaxSav was an internet email fax service provider for small office and individual users, which later became known as NetMoves Corporation (NASDAQ: NTMV).
NASDAQ: EASY

Goodfire

Goodfire is an applied research lab building AI interpretability tools.
Goodfire is an applied research lab building AI interpretability tools.

Milestones

  • 2024 - Founded
  • 2024 - Partnered, Seed

Leadership

Eric Ho
Co-Founder & CEO
Dan Balsam
Co-Founder & CTO
Tom McGrath, Ph.D.
Co-Founder & Chief Scientist

iBasis

iBasis is the leading communications solutions provider enabling operators and digital players worldwide to perform and transform.
NASDAQ: IBAS

ParAccel

ParAccel was the world's fastest DBMS for data warehousing and analytics.
Acquired by Actian

SpectraLink

SpectraLink delivers secure, cost-effective mobile communication solutions that empower enterprises to streamline operations, increase their revenues, and deliver a positive customer experience each and every time.
NASDAQ: SLNK

Spinnaker Networks

Spinnaker Networks was a supplier of next-generation NAS storage solutions.
Acquired by NetApp

Syntellect

Syntellect, Inc. developed and marketed voice, internet, and call processing services. The company offered services such as project management, system implementation and integration, application development, and speech services.
NASDAQ: SYNL, later acquired by Enghouse Interactive

UUNET

UUNET was the first commercial internet service provider and the world’s leading internet carrier in the 1980s and 1990s. The company provided a comprehensive range of internet services to business customers worldwide.
Acquired by MFS Communications