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Avidan Ross

Founding Partner at Root Ventures

Avidan Ross is the Founding Partner of Root Ventures, a venture capital firm based in San Francisco that focuses on early-stage investments in deep technology and engineering-driven startups. He established Root Ventures in 2013, aiming to support companies that require significant engineering expertise to succeed. The firm operates with a thesis-driven approach, emphasizing investments in technical risk and engineering enablement.156

Educational and Professional Background

Avidan holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Columbia University. Before founding Root Ventures, he served as the Chief Technology Officer at CIM Group, a private equity firm managing approximately $15 billion in assets, where he focused on technology investments. His early career included work as an embedded application developer at Excite@Home and designing industrial robotics for the Food Network's kitchens.12345

Contributions and Philosophy

At Root Ventures, Avidan and his partners leverage their engineering backgrounds to actively engage with portfolio companies, providing guidance and support to founders. The firm recently announced a third fund, raising $150 million to continue its mission of investing in technical startups led by technical founders.56 Avidan's investment philosophy centers on embracing engineering risk, which he believes is crucial for innovation in the tech industry.15

In addition to his venture capital work, Avidan has also hosted a pilot for a Food Network show and authored a book on coffee, showcasing his diverse interests beyond technology and finance.15

Highlights

Dec 13 · twitter

R&D is what makes the world progress. But I’m sure she sees this as politically progressive. Awful.

Oct 22 · twitter

In pursuit of better coffee, I’m building a grind by weight 65mm flat burr grinder. Timers on grinders suck. https://t.co/aPjRpHq6Ux

In pursuit of better coffee, I’m building a grind by weight 65mm flat burr grinder. Timers on grinde

Related Questions

What inspired Avidan Ross to transition from engineering to venture capital?
How does Root Ventures' approach to deep tech investing differ from other firms?
What are some of the most successful investments made by Root Ventures?
How does Avidan Ross's background in engineering influence his investment strategy?
What challenges has Avidan faced in investing in early-stage deep tech companies?
Avidan Ross
Avidan Ross, photo 1
Avidan Ross, photo 2
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Experience

Founding Partner at Root Ventures since May 2013
Board Member at Particle, nTopology, Esper, Nautilus Labs; Author of 'Where to Drink Coffee'; TV Pilot Host / Food Robotics at Food Network; Chief Technology Officer at CIM Group, L.P.; Network Softwa at Excite@Home

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Columbia University in the City of New York

Location

San Francisco, California, United States