About
Sutter Hill Ventures is a venture capital firm founded in 1962 by Bill Draper and Paul Wythes, headquartered in Palo Alto, California. The firm has established itself as a persistent builder in Silicon Valley, investing in early-stage technology companies across computer technology, healthcare, software, telecommunications, and consumer sectors. Over six decades, Sutter Hill has completed 506 total investments and achieved 123 portfolio exits, demonstrating sustained operational discipline. The firm is known for a differentiated approach: of approximately 80 companies in their portfolio, they helped found roughly 20, with about 25% of the portfolio representing companies they actively built from inception. Sutter Hill focuses on Series A through Series C stage investments, with typical check sizes of $18.3M for Series A, $25.2M for Series B, and $28.4M for Series C. The firm operates with a selective, long-term orientation rather than pursuing velocity-driven deployment strategies. Notable portfolio companies include Snowflake, an early-stage investment that delivered significant returns. More recent activity includes investment participation in Ramp's Series E in November 2025 and participation in io, the AI hardware startup founded by Jony Ive. Sutter Hill provides founders with capital alongside active advisory and mentorship support from experienced venture operators. The firm's geographic focus remains concentrated in the United States, with particular depth in technology ecosystems. The average startup valuation at investment has ranged in the $500M to $1B band. As of November 2025, the firm remains actively deployed, maintaining its position as a consequential but characteristically low-profile builder of market-leading companies.