Chrysalis Ventures

ROBERT S. SAUNDERS
Managing Director

Profile:
Education:
BA, Stanford University
MSc, London School
of Economics
  (Marshall Scholar)
MA, Harvard University
University of
   Stockholm
   (Fulbright Scholar)

Before Chrysalis:
Corporate strategy and
   business development
Private Equity
Management Consulting

Directorships:
Construction Software
   Technologies
Mobile Armor
RAD Electronics
TechSkills
Ygnition Networks

Bob joined Chrysalis in 1997 as Managing Director and has worked with several of Chrysalis’ portfolio companies including Genscape (sold to GFI Energy Ventures), High Speed Access Corp (IPO and later sold to Charter Communications), PeopleFirst.com (sold to Capital One Financial), Telemics (sold to Tyco Electronics), CELS/Midi (sold to SAI Global), and MindLeaders (sold to ThirdForce). His current focus is on investment opportunities in media and communications, and business services.

Prior to Chrysalis, Bob was Chief Planning Officer and Managing Director for Strategic Planning and Business Development at Providian Capital Management, Inc. From 1988 to 1993, he was Managing Director of Saunders Capital Group, Inc., a Boston-based private equity boutique that focused on turnarounds, including Richey Electronics (sold to Arrow Electronics) and Walking Magazine (sold to Cowles Media). Bob began his career in 1978 as a business strategy consultant at The Boston Consulting Group and joined Bain & Co. in 1982, where he became acting Director of Competitive Strategy Analysis.

A former Marshall Scholar and Fulbright Scholar, Bob holds a BA from Stanford University, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and an MA from Harvard University.

Bob is active in community affairs, serving on the boards of directors of Louisville's Public Radio Partnership, Actor’s Theatre, and Walden Theatre. He is former Chairman of the Investment Committee of the African American Venture Capital Fund, a privately funded civic enterprise that invests in local minority businesses. He also is former Chairman of both the Venture Club of Louisville and of the Industry Advisory Board for the Computer Engineering and Computer Science Department at the University of Louisville's Speed Scientific School.

In June 2004 Bob was awarded the Michael J. Burke Supporter of Entrepreneurship Award in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year competition for Southern Ohio and Kentucky.