Laura B. Sachar,

Managing Partner and Co-Founder

Laura Sachar is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of StarVest Partners, a New York City based venture capital firm investing in business-to business technology companies since 1998. Laura has been a part of investing nearly half a billion dollars in over 50 technology companies.  She has served on 12 corporate boards, all committees and as Audit Chair.

Laura brings deep knowledge building companies in the marketing services, e-commerce/retail data & analytics, financial technology/payments, and artificial intelligence sectors. She has worked on six CEO transitions including serving on the board and recruiting the CEO to transform a cyber-security SaaS company that sold to CA Technologies in 2017 and built a $1B+ valued business. Laura played a key role in StarVest’s strategy – which led to StarVest being the first and primary investor in NetSuite, one of the most significant software businesses that drove top quartile fund performance and ultimately sold to Oracle for $9.3 billion.

Companies where Laura served on the board and ultimately became software platforms driving digital transformation at major corporations include two fintech/payment companies sold to Mastercard – one nearly $300 million; two vertical SaaS companies – one sold to Dell initiating its SaaS business area and one sold to Iron Mountain to become its digital platform; a marketing search company sold for over $300 million to Hearst in 2010 to become its marketing platform; and several infrastructure ecommerce/retail companies including one that ultimately became a part of Pitney-Bowes. Laura currently serves on the boards of three leading private growth equity companies where StarVest is an investor: RetailNext (ecommerce/retail infrastructure), Persado (AI/machine learning marketing) and Ceros (SaaS marketing). She is an Observer on the board of OpenSlate (video content ratings) and UrbanBound (relocation management software).

In 1992, Laura identified digital media and then the Internet as explosive growth areas and founded Sachar Capital identifying early stage companies now a part of large Internet companies including an early AOL acquisition. Starting in 1997, Laura played a leading role in technology innovation in New York City as the Founding Chairman of the New York New Media Association Angel Investor Program (precursor to NY Angels), assisting hundreds of companies in accessing Angel financing including early Silicon Alley Kozmo.com. Prior to StarVest, Laura was responsible for direct private equity investments at Gabelli Securities. She began her career as a Financial Analyst in investment banking at Prudential Securities.

Laura has a BA from Barnard College, Columbia University and an MBA from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. She is a member of the Young President’s Organization Gold, Economic Club of New York, National Association of Corporate Directors, a Columbia Business School Women’s Circle Leader and a Private Women’s Investor Network Steering Committee Member. She also serves on the board of the Berkshire Hills Eisenberg Camp; on the board of governors of the New York Academy of Sciences as Treasurer; and she served for nine years on the boards of Ballet Hispanico and TrailBlazers Camp.  Laura has two daughters.