Norman Winarsky joins Relay Ventures as executive‑in‑residence

Norman Winarsky has joined Canadian venture capital firm Relay Ventures as its first ever executive-in-residence (EIR).

Norman is the former President of SRI Ventures at the world-renowned SRI International research institute founded by Stanford University. He was a founder and leader of SRI’s venture strategy and process, which has resulted in more than sixty ventures worth over $25 billion, including companies such as Nuance, Intuitive Surgical, and Siri. Norman was also a co-founder and board member of Siri.

A Lecturer at Stanford GSB, a Technology & Engineering Emmy team award winner, and co-author of the book If You Really Want to Change the World, Norman has decades of experience launching and investing in successful ventures. Throughout his career, Norman has been involved with hundreds of start-ups and has literally written the book.

Norman has helped create and build companies across a number of advanced technology areas, including artificial intelligence, natural language, medical devices, robotics, and nanotechnology. His specialty areas of focus include the development of ventures and licensing opportunities from concept through to market development, team-building, fundraising, and launch.

As EIR at Relay Ventures, Norman will play an important role as advisor to the entrepreneurs behind the companies in the firm’s portfolio. He will also support the firm’s investment team with due diligence on potential investments.

Entrepreneurs in the firm’s portfolio will also have an opportunity to learn, first-hand, about the essential lessons that Norman and his co-author, Henry Kressel, outlined in their book’s actionable framework. Among those lessons is how entrepreneurs can identify a large market opportunity with potential for rapid growth; uncovering what makes their technology stand out from the competition; how to build teams that will drive the company’s success; creating a business plan and value proposition that will attract investors; finding investors, mentors, advisors, and board members to support their path to success; building the organizational structure; managing the transition from a startup to a larger growth company; and how to continue driving innovation.

Please join us in welcoming Norman to the Relay Ventures team as Executive-in-Residence. Norman will be based in our Menlo Park, CA office.