About

OVERVIEW

The Stanford•NVCA Venture Capital Symposium is the premier governance program for members of the venture capital community. Investors, startup executives and directors of venture-backed companies will gain the skills needed to respond effectively to real-world governance challenges that commonly arise at VC firms and their portfolio companies, including conflicts of interest, culture and inclusion, board-founder relationships and boardroom mechanics. Participants will also explore best practices in fund management and limited partner relationships, as well as emerging policy and regulatory issues that may affect their funds and investments. Speakers include leading venture capitalists, limited partners, CEOs, regulators, attorneys and scholars.

 

PROGRAM DIRECTORS

Joseph A. Grundfest

W.A. Franke Professor of Law and Business, Stanford Law School; Senior Faculty, Rock Center for Corporate Governance; Co-Founder and Director, Financial Engines;

Joseph A. Grundfest ’78 is a nationally prominent expert on capital markets, corporate governance, and securities litigation. His scholarship has been published in the Harvard, Yale, and Stanford law reviews, and he has been recognized as one of the most influential attorneys in the United States. Professor Grundfest founded the award-winning Stanford Securities Class Action Clearinghouse, which provides detailed, online information about the prosecution, defense, and settlement of federal class action securities fraud litigation. Professor Grundfest previously served as a commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and on the staff of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors as counsel and senior economist for legal and regulatory matters.

 

Kristen Savelle

Managing Director, Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University; Co-Director, Stanford•NVCA Venture Capital Symposium

Kristen is responsible for planning, coordinating and executing Rock Center research projects and programs, including the Venture Capital executive education program. She also oversees Stanford’s Securities Class Action Clearinghouse and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Clearinghouse, and maintains strategic relationships with corporate affiliates and other key partners. Kristen researches and writes on topics in securities law and corporate governance.

 

Maryam Haque

Senior Vice President of Industry Advancement, National Venture Capital Association; Co-Director, Stanford•NVCA Venture Capital Symposium

Maryam focuses primarily on NVCA’s initiatives related to VC research and data; industry education; and diversity and inclusion. She produces the annual NVCA Yearbook, creates data-driven content to highlight VC trends and impact, and leads the production of the quarterly PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor. Maryam also leads NVCA’s educational programs including the Seed Manager Workshop series, the Stanford•NVCA Venture Capital Symposium, and LP Office Hours; and VentureForward, the NVCA initiative to expand opportunities for men and women of all backgrounds to thrive in the venture ecosystem and to ensure that those working in this ecosystem have a welcoming professional culture and safe work environment.

 

PROGRAM COLLABORATORS

The Rock Center for Corporate Governance was founded at Stanford University in 2006 with a generous donation from Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock, with the belief that by examining what constitutes good corporate governance and how to measure it in new and more rigorous ways, we could shape the future of corporate governance. For more information, please visit the Rock Center website.

As the voice of the U.S. venture capital community, the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) empowers its members and the entrepreneurs they fund by advocating for policies that encourage innovation and reward long-term investment. As the venture community’s flagship trade association, the NVCA serves as the definitive resource for venture capital data and unites its member firms through a full range of professional services.

 

ROCK CENTER AFFILIATES

The Rock Center Affiliates contribute through sponsorship and program input on an annual basis and support sustained scholarship, policy, relevant research and teaching, and program development that bridges the gap between academia and the real world. You can find more information about the Affiliate Program here.