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Jo Tango

Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School and Venture Capitalist

Jo Tango is a prominent figure in the venture capital industry, serving as the Founder and Partner of Kepha Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm based in the Boston area.1 With a career in venture capital spanning over two decades, Tango has been investing in and financing technology companies since 1998.1

Professional Background

Jo Tango founded Kepha Partners in 2006, which focuses on pre-seed, seed, and Series A investments primarily in technology companies.12 The firm manages nearly $200 million in assets and has a strong presence in the Boston tech ecosystem.1

Investment Philosophy

Tango's investment approach is characterized by:

  • A focus on early-stage technology companies
  • A preference for investments in the Boston area or eastern seaboard
  • A strong emphasis on company culture and values1

Achievements and Experience

  • Investor in three exited "Unicorn" companies (startups valued at over $1 billion)24
  • Founding or first institutional investor in several successful startups, including Azuki Systems2
  • Lecturer at Harvard Business School4

Education and Early Career

Tango's educational background includes:

  • Harvard Business School
  • Yale University, where he was involved in various leadership roles including founding the Yale Business Forum3

Personal Interests

Outside of his professional life, Jo Tango is:

  • Obsessed with fly fishing
  • Self-described as a "recovering ENTJ" (referring to the Myers-Briggs personality type)45

Jo Tango maintains an active online presence, including a personal blog at jtangoVC.com and a Twitter account @jtangoVC, where he shares insights on venture capital and entrepreneurship.45

Related Questions

What inspired Jo Tango to transition from Highland to starting Kepha Partners?
How did Jo Tango's career almost take a different direction with Amazon?
What are the core values and mission principles at Kepha Partners?
What sectors of technology does Kepha Partners focus on?
How has Jo Tango's approach to venture capital evolved over the years?
Jo Tango
Jo Tango, photo 1
Jo Tango, photo 2
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Experience

MBA Class of 1962 Senior Lecturer of Business Administration at Harvard Business School (September 2022 - Present)
Founder and Partner at Kepha Partners (2006 - Present), General Partner at Highland Capital Partners (1998 - 2006)

Education

MBA from Harvard Business School (1993 - 1995) Yale University (1986 - 1990)

Location

Greater Boston