Expand Beyond:

Blair Garrou

Company: DFJ Mercury

Track: Creative/UX

Session: Wordpress: It's Not Just For Blogs Anymore!

Bio: Blair Garrou has significant experience in operating, investing and advisory roles with start-up companies, with a particular focus on enterprise and consumer software. Blair is a Managing Director of DFJ Mercury, a Texas-based seed and early-stage venture capital firm. Blair's current investments at DFJ Mercury include Alert Logic, Fluensee, Performix, Phurnace Software, Podcast Ready, and ShareThis.

Prior to co-founding DFJ Mercury, Blair was the CEO of Intermat, Inc., a leader in product information management software, where he led the sale of the company to IHS, Inc. (NYSE: IHS). Prior to Intermat, Blair was a Principal of Genesis Park LP, a Houston-based private equity firm, where he focused on the firm’s venture investments, including Intermat, FuelQuest (acq. by Saracen Energy), and SAT Corporation (FTSE: ISYS.L). Prior to Genesis Park, Blair helped launch and was the Director of Operations for the Houston Technology Center, the largest technology incubator in the state of Texas, and led the formation of the Houston Angel Network, one of the largest and most active angel investment organizations in the U.S. Previously, Blair was an investment banker with BMO Nesbitt Burns, and an auditor with Deloitte & Touche. Blair is a licensed CPA in the state of Texas. He received his B.S. in Management from Washington & Lee University.

Blair currently serves on the advisory and/or development boards for the University of Texas Health Science Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center's Friends of Integrative Medicine, Rice Alliance for Technology & Entrepreneurship, and the San Antonio Technology Center. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University where he teaches a course on venture capital.