Founded in 1987, Walden International is an established global venture capital firm.
With committed capital of over US$1.6 billion, we strive to invest in entrepreneurs and companies that demonstrate an ability to gain a competitive advantage in the markets they serve. Our investments are focused on four key industry sectors: communications, electronics/digital consumer , software & IT services, and semiconductors.
Headquartered in San Francisco, and with offices around the globe, our team of multicultural investment professionals provide the capital, technical expertise, industry knowledge, operating experience, and global resources to launch early stage companies into successful businesses. We value honesty and integrity and foster a work environment of diversity, teamwork, creativity, and opportunity.
We pride ourselves on having the courage to back first-mover companies and attribute much of our continued success to a passion for detailed assessment of market viability and team credentials. Our global team brings the business expertise and resilience needed to support investments through the challenges of taking products from concept to market, and fueling growth.
We are committed to providing superior returns to our investors. We forge long-term partnerships, sharing our expertise in business growth and global markets, and seek to develop the next generation of business leaders.
What We Look For
Referrals
We rarely entertain a business proposition unless it comes via a referral. This process gives both parties a sense of pre-qualification – you will be clear on what we fund and why, and we will know you have at least attempted to find and match the right VC with your business sector.
First Movers
Our success, over almost two decades, is the direct result of backing qualified first movers with clear-cut solutions to current needs, identifiable and quantitative customer bases, and great management teams with a frugal approach to financial management.
We invest in companies in the seed and early stages of development, or in expansion rounds where we can add value through our global network and industry relationships. Our team is aggressively selective, while remaining open the vast range of opportunities within our specialist sectors. We have been the lead investor in over half of our portfolio companies and are represented on the board of over 70% of these companies.
Business Clarity
We want companies that can easily explain why their product or service is compelling – if this can’t be achieved quickly and concisely it is a warning sign for the WI team.
Business clarity is integral to our need for a crisp and clear problem/solution model. It has future ramifications not only for communicating with customers, but funding, team building, marketing and positioning. If the business model is overly complex and dependent on too many variables, the chance of success is compromised.
Proven Team
Not all our investments are made in companies with a proven team, but it certainly helps having people who are tried and tested, who have managed a start-up, worked with VCs and know what it takes to drive a business to success.
Problem Solving
What is the problem your product is designed to solve? What is the expected market share? What is the potential for growth and global expansion? Is this market ready for your offering now? Are the products unique and differentiated? Is there a competitive advantage in time-to-market, cost, performance, and quality? These are some of the questions we will be asking – and we need to hear that you either have customers already or they have indicated they will be buying in the near future. The customer base, and its needs, must be clearly identified and pre-qualified.