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Barry Eggers
Founder and Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners
Barry Eggers is a prominent venture capitalist and the Founding Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, a leading venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley. With over 26 years of experience in venture capital and an additional 10 years in operational roles, Eggers has established himself as a significant figure in the investment community. He has been recognized multiple times on the Forbes Midas List, which highlights top venture capital investors.
Career Background
Before co-founding Lightspeed in 1997, Eggers held key positions at Cisco Systems from 1991 to 1997. During his tenure at Cisco, he was instrumental in developing the company's business development strategies and its initial mergers and acquisitions (M&A) process. He played a vital role in establishing Cisco's distribution channels across various sectors, including OEMs and service providers.125
Education
Eggers earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Business from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he was also an athlete on the NCAA Men’s Water Polo team. He later obtained his MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.136
Contributions and Focus
At Lightspeed, Eggers has focused on investments in technology infrastructure, particularly in areas such as cloud computing, networking, and big data analytics. His notable investments include companies like Snapchat, Mulesoft, and Affirm. He has also been involved with various boards, including those of Avi Networks and Dremio.256
In addition to his professional achievements, Eggers is committed to promoting diversity within the venture capital industry. He has implemented initiatives at Lightspeed to support underrepresented groups in investing and entrepreneurship.14
Personal Insights
Eggers emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) over technical expertise in building relationships within Silicon Valley. His approach combines fostering strong interpersonal connections with strategic investment decisions.6
Overall, Barry Eggers is not only a key player in venture capital but also an advocate for diversity and inclusion within the industry.

