Dan Levitan (Co-Founder Maveron)

Name: Dan Levitan (Co-Founder Maveron)
Start: 2013-10-21T18:00:00-07:00
End: 2013-10-21T21:00:00-07:00

Oct 22, 2013, 1:00 – 4:00 AM

Seattle

In 1997, Dan Levitan left Schroder Wertheim & Co. to follow his heart and find a way to work more closely with entrepreneurs, whom he believes are "the real heroes in any successful business." After giving notice, he set off to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. In 1998 Dan saw an opportunity to help innovative companies reach their full potential. That’s when he launched Maveron with Howard Schultz. The rest is history and many great investment later he is still enjoying the process.

In-person event

About this event

Join Dan Levitan and all the other SeaGrinders in Seattle to hear from the Co Founder of Maveron for what will be a very informative evening. He has more experience working with entrepreneurs than almost any other VC in the Seattle area. We don't get to hear a lot from Dan as he doesn't do a lot of speaking engagements but he has promised to give us as much information as we can remember. This event will likely be a sell out so get your spot sooner than later. Dan has 25 years of collective experience in venture capital and investment banking, specializing in consumer and retail businesses.  Eager to help innovative companies realize their full potential, Levitan launched Maveron, in 1998, with Howard Schultz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Starbucks Coffee Company.  In this role, Levitan has led many Maveron investments including, including zulily, Potbelly Sandwich Works, and Trupanion, and has directed a number of successful exit, including Auctionpay (acquired by Global Payments Inc. NASDAQ: GPN), Capella Education Company (NASDAQ: CPLA), Cranium (acquired by Hasbro NASDAQ: HAS), Quellos (acquired by Blackrock NASDAQ: BLK), Good Technology (acquired by Motorola NASDAQ: MOT), and Shutterfly (NASDAQ: SFLY). He currently serves on the board of directors for Decide.com, PayNearMe, Pinkberry, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Trupanion and zulily. Dan is also a board member for The Rock Center for Entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School. He enjoys helping future entrepreneurial leaders, and has participated as a judge and mentor for several years in the annual Harvard Business School Business Plan Competition.  He also serves on the board of the Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation. Levitan’s personal time is devoted to his wife and two daughters, Duke basketball and climbing mountains - he has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro once and Mount Rainier twice.  He graduated from Horace Mann School, and received a BA magna cum laude from Duke University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.  A native New Yorker, Levitan and his family moved to Seattle in 1998, and continue to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.