Asheem Chandna
Asheem seeks a partnership with founders who have identified a problem in enterprise, cybersecurity or infrastructure software and are eager to apply rigorous thinking to build a path-breaking solution – even if the value proposition has yet to fully emerge.
Bio
I want to be a beacon for talented founders at the earliest stage of their company building journey. If you have a great idea and the determination to pull it off, I’ll be there at the start and help you see it to fruition and success.
Engineer to operator to VC
I studied electrical engineering at Case Western Reserve University and stayed on for a masters degree in computer engineering. The next few years, when I worked in product architecture at Bell Labs, were foundational. They gave me a thirst for knowledge and the ability to think with rigor and humility. After that, I moved into product management roles at high-growth companies like SynOptics and Check Point Software, where I spent time alongside hardworking and brilliant colleagues. It’s also when I learned the most important aspect of marketing: taking complex ideas and distilling them into simple nuggets of truth. This mindset remains a touchstone of my work with founders.
Since joining Greylock in 2003, I’ve acted as a bridge between our firm and the companies we invest in. I’m fortunate to be able to draw on my experience to relate equally to engineers, salespeople, and customers.
Start with listening
Some of my best investments have come from getting to know and then funding founders at the concept stage. It’s never too early. If there’s an insightful person with thought-provoking, original ideas, I’d like to be there at the whiteboard, helping them shape their strategy.
I’ve done the zero to IPO journey (or zero to multi-billion dollar acquisition) many times over — with Palo Alto Networks, AppDynamics, Sumo Logic, and others — so I know what to look for at the earliest stages. And, most importantly, I know how to help founders turn the sketch on the whiteboard into a strong business — and a strong narrative.
I remember working with Rajiv Gupta, the visionary founder of the then fledgling startup Skyhigh Networks, one Friday night in early 2013 in a windowless San Jose conference room. The RSA conference was opening that Monday in San Francisco. Rajiv knew he had a breakthrough approach to cloud security. But the articulation wasn’t clear and so I tried a dose of reality. “The product is early,” I said. “We have no messaging, no VP of marketing, no website. We’re not ready.” It was a tough message but I felt my role at this moment was simply to be candid.
Rajiv listened, but he wanted to keep brainstorming. Soon we found ourselves, side-by-side in front of the white board, trying out key messages, crafting use cases, and wordsmithing clearer definitions. A picture began to emerge. The Burmese food we had ordered remained largely untouched as we took turns scribbling, diagraming, and testing one another’s ideas. Suddenly Rajiv stepped back from the whiteboard and said to me: “We don’t just have a company launch here,” he said. “We are inventing a new product category.” By noon Tuesday, the Skyhigh booth at RSA was mobbed. Gartner would soon christen Rajiv’s concept as “Cloud Access Security Broker.” CASB was launched.
Complex ideas, simple terms
Over two decades at Greylock, I have worked with people of varying experience and with radically different work styles. I adjust to the unique ways that founders like to work. When they have gaps in their abilities and skills, which even the best founders have, I help them to bridge those gaps and break through obstacles. I see myself as part of their team, dedicated to their success. I serve as a thought partner, approaching problems with a structured process so the founders can uncover an original insight that will advance the business. At every stage, I work with the founders to persuade world-class talent to join the team. All great companies, after all, come down to people.
I admire grit and perseverance – and have come to view them as indispensable qualities in founders. I want to work with individuals who are highly invested in their company and are eager to make sacrifices. An early-stage founder will always face some challenges. But if they value collaboration through rigorous thinking and clear communication, I’m confident we can win together.
Portfolio Companies
Cloud email security platform.
Domain
AI, Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna, Saam Motamedi
LEADERSHIP
HQ
San Francisco, CA | USA
CISO Co-pilot for proactive security execution.
Domain
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Series A
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna, Corinne Riley
LEADERSHIP
HQ
Saratoga, CA
Censys is the trusted provider of Internet security data.
Domain
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
HQ
Ann Arbor, MI | USA
The cloud security remediation platform.
Domain
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
HQ
Palo Alto & Tel Aviv
Delivering virtual data on demand.
Domain
Infrastructure
FIRST PARTNERED
Series A
CURRENT STATUS
Acquired
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
HQ
Redwood City, CA | USA
Software composition analysis platform.
Domain
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna, Jason Risch
LEADERSHIP
HQ
Tel Aviv
Enterprise hybrid-cloud cybersecurity.
Domain
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Series A
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
HQ
Newport Beach, CA | USA
Next generation firewall.
Domain
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Public
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
HQ
Santa Clara, CA | USA
Securing the world's data.
Domain
Cybersecurity, Infrastructure
FIRST PARTNERED
Series B
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
HQ
Palo Alto, CA | USA
Cloud email security platform.
https://abnormalsecurity.com/Abnormal Security is a cloud email security company for Office 365 and G Suite. The Abnormal Security platform leverages data science to stop the full range of email threats with a unique focus on modern social engineering attacks.
DOMAIN
AI, Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna, Saam Motamedi
LEADERSHIP
Evan Reiser, CEO & Co-Founder
Sanjay Jeyakumar, CTO & Co-Founder
HQ
San Francisco, CA | USA
CISO Co-pilot for proactive security execution.
Axiamatic’s CISO Co-pilot enables security teams to take proactive actions that reduce risk and deliver improved security outcomes.
DOMAIN
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Series A
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna, Corinne Riley
LEADERSHIP
Rajiv Gupta - CEO and Co-Founder
Kaushik Narayan - CTO and Co-Founder
HQ
Saratoga, CA
Censys is the trusted provider of Internet security data.
DOMAIN
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
HQ
Ann Arbor, MI | USA
The cloud security remediation platform.
Dazz is the leader in cloud security remediation. Our platform maps your code-to-production pipeline across all your cloud environments; collapses your security alerts; identifies root cause and code owner; and tees up a dev-friendly code fix for one-click approval. With Dazz, you massively reduce your alert backlog, improve security posture, and ease tension between security and engineering.
DOMAIN
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
Merav Bahat, Co-founder & CEO
Tomer Schwartz, Co-founder & CEO
Yuval Ofir, Co-founder & VP R&D
HQ
Palo Alto & Tel Aviv
Delivering virtual data on demand.
DOMAIN
Infrastructure
FIRST PARTNERED
Series A
CURRENT STATUS
Acquired
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
Jedidiah Yueh, CEO, Founder & Executive Chairman
HQ
Redwood City, CA | USA
Software composition analysis platform.
Kodem is redefining application security for fast-moving teams. Kodem Dynamic™️ is the industry’s only software composition analysis platform that uses runtime intelligence to determine actual application risk. Founded by veterans of elite cybersecurity organizations who have decades of combined experience in security research and innovation, Kodem helps AppSec teams gain deep application understanding, tune in to the signals that matter, and streamline remediation of the most critical issues.
DOMAIN
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna, Jason Risch
LEADERSHIP
Aviv Mussinger, Co-founder and CEO
Pavel Furman, Co-founder and CTO
Idan Bartura, Co-founder and Head of Engineering
HQ
Tel Aviv
Enterprise hybrid-cloud cybersecurity.
DOMAIN
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Series A
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
Hasan Imam, CEO
Glenn Chisholm, Co-Founder, Chairman & CPO
Ben Johnson, CTO & Co-Founder
Matt Wolff, Chief Scientist & Co-Founder
HQ
Newport Beach, CA | USA
Next generation firewall.
https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/Palo Alto Networks is the world's cybersecurity leader. We innovate to outpace cyberthreats so organizations can embrace technology with confidence. We provide next-generation cybersecurity to thousands of customers globally, across all sectors. Our best-in-class cybersecurity platforms and services are backed by industry-leading threat intelligence and strengthened by state-of-the-art automation. Whether deploying our products to enable the Zero Trust Enterprise, responding to a security incident or partnering to deliver better security outcomes through a world-class partner ecosystem, we're committed to helping ensure each day is safer than the one before. It's what makes us the cybersecurity partner of choice.
DOMAIN
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Public
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
Nikesh Arora, CEO
Nir Zuk, CTO & Founder
HQ
Santa Clara, CA | USA
Securing the world's data.
Rubrik is on a mission to secure the world’s data. The company sits at the intersection of data, security, and AI. Founded in 2014, the cybersecurity company helps ensure organizations can operate in the presence of cyber attacks. Rubrik pioneered a platform of Zero Trust Data Security™ to provide cyber resilience amid all forms of cyber events including ransomware. Greylock’s partnership with Rubrik was early, in 2015, before the company’s first products were market-ready. Today, Rubrik’s Data Security Cloud delivers industry-leading cybersecurity and secures customers' data across enterprise, cloud, and SaaS applications. The company is a global leader with more than 5,000 global customers and more than $500M in ARR.
DOMAIN
Cybersecurity, Infrastructure
FIRST PARTNERED
Series B
CURRENT STATUS
Active
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
Bipul Sinha, CEO & Co-Founder
Arvind Nithrakashyap, Co-Founder
Arvind Jain, Co-Founder
Soham Mazumdar, Co-Founder
HQ
Palo Alto, CA | USA
Next generation application performance management.
DOMAIN
Infrastructure
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Acquired
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
David Wadhwani, Former CEO & President
Jyoti Bansal, Founder and Executive Chairman
Bhaskar Sunkara, CTO, Head of Product, & Founding Team Member
HQ
San Francisco, CA | USA
Delivering software-defined application services.
DOMAIN
Infrastructure
FIRST PARTNERED
Series A
CURRENT STATUS
Acquired
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
Amit Pandey, CEO
HQ
Palo Alto, CA | USA
Advanced security analytics.
https://awakesecurity.com/Awake Security is the only advanced network traffic analysis company that delivers answers, not alerts. By combining artificial intelligence with human expertise, Awake models and hunts for both insider and external attacker behaviors while providing full forensics across traditional, IoT, and cloud networks for autonomous triage and response. The platform is ranked #1 by EMA for time to value and was recognized as the #1 information security solution being evaluated by global 1000 companies in Enterprise Technology Research’s (ETR) Summer 2019 Emerging Technology Study.
DOMAIN
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Series A
CURRENT STATUS
Acquired
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
Rahul Kashyap, CEO
HQ
Santa Clara, CA | USA
Next generation infrastructure solutions.
Innovium is a leading provider of high performance, innovative switching silicon solutions for Cloud and Edge data centers. Innovium TERALYNX family delivers software compatible products ranging from 1Tbps to 12.8Tbps with unmatched telemetry, low latency, programmability, and large buffers, and a feature rich architecture that scales to 51.2Tbps+. Innovium’s products have been selected and validated by market-leading switch OEM, ODM and cloud providers. The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California and is backed by leading venture capital firms including Greylock Partners, Walden Riverwood, Capricorn Investment Group, Qualcomm Ventures, S-Cubed Capital and Redline Capital.
DOMAIN
Infrastructure
FIRST PARTNERED
Series B
CURRENT STATUS
Acquired
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
Rajiv Khemani, CEO & Co-Founder
Puneet Agarwal, CTO & Co-Founder
HQ
San Jose, CA | USA
Neeva is search re-imagined — always ad-free, private, and deeply personal.
Neeva is the world’s first completely ad-free, private search engine. We help our users find exactly what matters to them, whether that information is on the web, in their buried emails or in an impossible-to-find document. We never show distracting ads, and we keep all searches private. Neeva is building a digital world that revolves around people — not advertisers.
DOMAIN
AI
FIRST PARTNERED
Series A
CURRENT STATUS
Acquired
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna, Reid Hoffman
LEADERSHIP
Sridhar Ramaswamy, Co-Founder & CEO
Vivek Raghunathan, Co-Founder
HQ
Mountain View, CA | USA
Discover, analyze & control the usage and risk of all your cloud services.
DOMAIN
Cybersecurity
FIRST PARTNERED
Series A
CURRENT STATUS
Acquired
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
Rajiv Gupta, CEO & Co-Founder
Sekhar Sarukkai, VP of Engineering & Co-Founder
Kaushik Narayan, CTO & Co-Founder
HQ
Campbell, CA | USA
Software driven cloud networking solutions.
DOMAIN
Infrastructure
FIRST PARTNERED
Common Stock
CURRENT STATUS
Public
INVESTORS
Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
Jayshree Ullal, President & CEO
Andy Bechtolsheim, Co-Founder, CDO & Chairman
Kenneth Duda, Co-Founder, CTO & SVP of Software Engineering
HQ
Santa Clara, CA | USA
Next generation log management and analytics company.
Sumo Logic is a leader in continuous intelligence, a new category of software, which enables organizations of all sizes address the data challenges and opportunities presented by digital transformation, modern applications, and cloud computing. The Sumo Logic Continuous Intelligence Platform™ automates the collection, ingestion, and analysis of application, infrastructure, security, and IoT data to derive actionable insights within seconds. More than 2,000 customers rely on Sumo Logic to build, run, and secure their modern applications and cloud infrastructures.
DOMAIN
Cybersecurity, Infrastructure
FIRST PARTNERED
Seed
CURRENT STATUS
Acquired
INVESTORS
Joseph Ansanelli, Asheem Chandna
LEADERSHIP
Joe Kim, President & CEO
Christian Beedgen, CTO & Co-Founder
Bruno Kurtic, founding VP of Product and Strategy
HQ
Redwood City, CA | USA
Previous Investments
Imperva
Acquired by Thoma Bravo in 2018
Aquantia
IPO 2017
TechProcess
Acquired by Ingenico in 2017
Zenprise
Acquired by Citrix in 2013
Sourcefire
Acquired by Cisco in 2013
Xsigo Systems
Acquired by Oracle in 2012
Aruba Networks
IPO 2007
PortAuthority Technologies
Acquired by Websense in 2007
Securent
Acquired by Cisco in 2007
CipherTrust
Acquired by Secure Computing in 2006
Netboost
Acquired by Intel in 1999
