Stephen Holmes

General Partner Emeritus at InterWest Partners; was SEC Investor Advisory Committee member for 8 years; was FASB Small Business Advisory Committee member for 12 years; was NVCA Board of Directors member for 4 years

Stephen Holmes is a retired executive with extensive experience in venture capital and finance. He served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and General Partner (GP) at InterWest Partners from January 1989 to December 2015, spanning 27 years.1 2 InterWest Partners is a venture capital firm focused on early-stage technology investments in IT and Healthcare.1

Prior to his tenure at InterWest, Holmes held the positions of Acting CEO and VP of Finance and Administration at Specialty Brands Inc. from July 1973 to December 1988.1 2 Specialty Brands was a venture-backed, high-growth manufacturer and marketer of specialty food products sold globally through grocery stores.1

Education and Achievements

Holmes has a strong educational background:

Master of Business Administration (MBA) with distinction from Harvard Business School (1971-1973)1
BS in Business Administration, graduating first in his class from Lehigh University (1964-1968)1

His career achievements include:

Receiving the National Venture Capital Association's (NVCA) first Industry Impact Award in 20162
Serving on the Securities and Exchange Commission's Investor Advisory Committee from 2012 to 20202
Being a director of the NVCA from 2008 to 20122
Founding member of various financial industry committees and groups2

Military Service

Before his business career, Holmes served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and volunteered for a one-year tour of duty in Da Nang, Vietnam.2

Currently, Stephen Holmes resides in Menlo Park, California, and continues to contribute to the venture capital industry as a consultant to InterWest in the role of "GP Emeritus" since 2016.2