Biography
Michael Skok, Partner, helps take software companies from concept to completion - just as he did as an entrepreneur and CEO.
Before joining North Bridge Venture Partners as a Partner in 2002, Michael founded, led and attracted over $100 million in private equity to several successful software companies. His professional experience spanned CAD/CAM, document management, workflow, imaging and collaboration, security, and analytics. Latterly, Michael founded AlphaBlox, defining the market for analytical applications - now a multi-billion dollar industry - before IBM acquired the company.
Earlier, he co-founded European Software Publishing, which pioneered the off balance sheet model for investing in and building software companies in Europe, and built Symantec UK into Symantec's most profitable international business. In all, four ESP publishers were acquired by Siebel, Platinum, Filenet and Banyan, and two went public. "Michael Skok epitomizes the partner quality that sets North Bridge apart from many venture firms. He has run successful companies, giving him the breadth of experience to advise on issues strategic and tactical alike." says Don Bulens, CEO of Unidesk. That operational and investment experience underlies Michael's determination to guide and support entrepreneurs to achieve their vision.
Michael focuses on large, market-changing technologies and disruptive business models like Open Source, SaaS, Cloud Computing and Mobile Applications. "Michael has been a terrific asset to me and to Demandware. He leverages his wealth of experience with sales, channels, cloud computing, and on demand offerings by being always available to me for consultation and advice. Our relationship with Michael has been an important contributing factor to the success we have experienced at Demandware," says Tom Ebling, CEO of Demandware (NYSE: DWRE).
Michael has a reputation among entrepreneurs for acumen in every sphere: people, technology, and markets, but most of all, company building. "His network and highly perceptive people skills have been critical to our evolution," says David McFarlane, Chief Executive Officer of Akiban Technologies. "He has a 360 degree strategic grasp of the business, market trends and how to engage the 'ecosystem'"
Michael was drawn to the intersection of technology and business as a teen, when a generation of baffled customers was struggling with leading-edge calculators and the first personal computers. Michael taught himself programming and offered a customized service, building a wide variety of applications from stock and bond portfolio management, to retail and inventory control. He later graduated from Nottingham University, England, with joint honors in Management Sciences and Engineering.
