VISH MISHRA

Vish Mishra is a seasoned Silicon Valley venture capitalist and entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience in the technology industry. He serves as a General Partner at Clearstone Venture Partners, which has invested $700M in 100 technology companies, including several billion-dollar successes like PayPal, Rubicon Project, and BillDesk. He co-founded Excelan, a networking company that sold to Novell for $225 million, and has launched and served as CEO of five other startups.

Vish is widely recognized as a "mentor capitalist," advising many CEOs and serving on the boards of companies such as Feuji, Velmeni, Telera, Quantros, and CloudVolumes. He is a trustee of TiE Silicon Valley, where he has been a major force in fostering entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation, particularly through initiatives like TiE 50 Awards, TiE Angels, TiE Women, and TiE Youth. The San Jose Mercury News has described him as “Silicon Valley personified,” and he has been named one of the "top ten influencers of Silicon Valley." He is also listed among the 51 most influential global Indian men by the Times of India.

In addition to his business achievements, Vish has contributed to academia and global entrepreneurship through guest lectures and advisory roles, including as an advisor to the Silicon Valley Center for Entrepreneurship at San Jose State University and a founding board member of the San Francisco-Bangalore Sister City Initiative. His public sector work includes advising USTDA on cloud, cybersecurity, AI, and digital transformations, and hosting reverse trade missions for countries like India, Argentina, and Morocco.

Vish’s contributions have earned him numerous awards and honors. He was the recipient of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation's Heritage Award for his contributions to the immigrant community. He has also received accolades from the Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) for his leadership and recognition from the India Community Center for his impact on the tech community and philanthropic efforts. His achievements have been profiled in various publications, including being featured in books like Venture Capitalists at Work: How VCs Identify and Build Billion-Dollar Successes.

Vish holds a BS from the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) and an MS from North Dakota State University. His philanthropic efforts reflect his dedication to social causes and leadership development, including his support for several leadership forums such as 'Legends and Leaders.' With his extensive network, strategic insights, and deep understanding of the startup ecosystem, Vish continues to be a key player in driving tech innovation and global entrepreneurship.