ITU Ventures

ITU Ventures, based in Los Angeles, California, is a private venture capital company operating primarily on developing businesses around technologies emerging from research institutions and university laboratories. The company provides investment opportunities to investors in the field of high-technology, and funding to high-tech startups primarily in the field of communications and semiconductors.

History

Founded in early 2000 by Chad Brownstein, then member of the Merchant Banking and Investment Banking divisions of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, and Jonah Schnel, then a Manager at SunAmerica, Inc., ITU Ventures has since appropriated funds to finance the inception and eventual establishment of numerous start-ups which included Eizel Tecnologies - since acquired by Nokia, Coatue - since acquired by Advanced Micro Devices, and Hier Design - since acquired by Xilinx.

ITU Ventures is presently involved in the funding of the following companies, among others:

• Luxtera - developing photonics products, specifically, optical structures an order of magnitude smaller than those traditionally used in integrated optical devices.
• CoMet Solutions - developing a software platform that improves the effectiveness of Virtual Prototyping environments.
• OEWaves - developing components for high-frequency oscillators, which enable significant enhancements on wireless broadband and optical communications.

Company leaders

ITU Ventures is being managed by its founders and Managing Partners Chad Brownstein and Jonah Schnel, along with Steve Schneider, Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Cahit Akin, and Leslie E. Bider, Chief Strategist.

References

• ITU Ventures Official Website
• ITU Ventures Media Archives
• Pittsburg Ventures - Interview with founder Jonah Schnel
• SocalTech News - ITU Ventures Taps Warner Bros. For Chief Strategist

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