Meritech Capital Partners
Late-stage venture capital from downtown Palo Alto, focused on consumer, enterprise and fintech.
Acerca de
Paul Madera co-founded Meritech Capital Partners in 1999 and remains a general partner, leading the firm's consumer, enterprise and fintech practices. Before venture investing he worked at Morgan Stanley and, earlier still, flew fighters for the US Air Force. Meritech itself is a late-stage venture capital firm at 245 Lytton Avenue in downtown Palo Alto, a block from University Avenue and a few minutes on foot from the Caltrain station.
What the firm invests in
Meritech backs technology companies that have already found their market and need capital to scale, which the firm calls late-stage venture. Its site groups that work into consumer, enterprise and fintech, and cites more than 200 investments and over 60 IPOs across its history. The firm describes a deliberately selective approach: a small number of founders each year, deep partnerships with each, and no ambition to be the busiest name on Sand Hill Road.
This is not a lender, a wealth manager or an adviser to individuals. Meritech does not take retail investors, manage personal portfolios or fund early-stage or pre-revenue companies.
Approaching the firm
Founders who fit the profile usually reach late-stage firms through an existing investor, a banker or a partner introduction rather than a cold call, so the useful preparation is a clear data room and a sense of which partner covers your sector. Ask about typical cheque size and ownership targets, how the firm works with a board, and who from the team would take the seat. Businesses looking for a loan, a grant or seed money should look elsewhere; the chamber can point to lenders and community development funds that serve that need.
Palo Alto and the Peninsula
The office is a downtown Palo Alto address, convenient to Menlo Park, Mountain View, Los Altos, Stanford and East Palo Alto, with Sunnyvale and Redwood City minutes away on the 101 or by Caltrain. The firm invests nationally; Santa Clara County is simply where it sits.
The directory number is 650-475-2200. The firm's own site does not print a phone or a suite number, so use the contact form on the website if the line goes unanswered.
Servicios
VerificadoGrowth capital for technology companies that have proven their product and market and are scaling toward a public listing or acquisition; this is the firm's only line of business.
Investment in consumer internet, marketplace and mobile companies with established user bases, one of the three practice areas Paul Madera leads at the firm.
Backing for business software and infrastructure companies with recurring revenue, where the firm looks for repeatable sales motions rather than early experiments.
Investment in financial technology companies, from payments to lending platforms, that have reached the stage where regulatory footing and unit economics are already clear.
Detalles
Ubicación y zona de servicio
Palo Alto, CA 94301-1482
Preguntas frecuentes
Típico de este tipo de negocioDoes a venture capital firm lend money to small businesses?
No. Venture firms buy equity in companies they expect to grow very quickly, usually technology companies. A restaurant, contractor or shop looking for working capital should approach a bank, a credit union or a community development lender instead.
What does "late-stage" mean?
It means the company already has customers, revenue and a proven product, and is raising money to expand rather than to prove an idea. Seed and early-stage firms fund the earlier steps; late-stage firms come in a few rounds later.
How do I get a meeting with a venture firm?
Most introductions come through an existing investor, a lawyer, a banker or a founder the firm already backs. Prepare a short deck and a data room, find out which partner covers your sector, and ask a mutual contact for an introduction rather than sending a cold email.
Antes de contratar
- Confirm the firm invests at your stage and in your sector before asking for a meeting.
- Find out which partner covers your area and seek a warm introduction.
- Have a data room ready: financials, customer metrics, cap table.
- Ask about typical cheque size, ownership targets and board involvement.
- Small businesses seeking loans should contact a bank or community lender instead.
Resumen en español
Fundada en 1999 por Paul Madera y sus socios, Meritech Capital Partners es una firma de capital de riesgo en el centro de Palo Alto que invierte en empresas tecnológicas en etapa avanzada, sobre todo en los sectores de consumo, empresarial y fintech. No otorga préstamos ni administra dinero de particulares; trabaja con un número reducido de fundadores cada año. Los emprendedores suelen llegar por presentación de un inversionista o banquero. El número en el directorio es 650-475-2200; el sitio web de la firma no publica teléfono, así que conviene escribir desde allí si nadie contesta.
Los datos marcados como verificados se comprobaron el 29 de septiembre de 2026 con meritechcapital.com y facebook.com. Los demás datos vienen de registros comerciales públicos o describen lo típico de este tipo de negocio, según se indica. El negocio aún no los ha confirmado.
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