A member of the top 100 from the Global Corporate Venturing Powerlist
John Gowen, vice-president of US-based cable operator Liberty Global’s corporate venturing runs an efficient operation. He manages Liberty Global Ventures’ team based in London, Denver, California’s Silicon Valley and Amsterdam, which, while stage-agnostic, has deal sizes that range typically from $2m to $20m, with the ability to participate in follow-on financings.
Its 29 portfolio companies, as at the end of December, include O3b Networks, a UK-based satellite operator also backed by Google, satellite operator SES and diversified holding company Sofina.
Gowen is a director of O3b, which raised $460m in December. Founded in 2007, O3b operates a network of satellites used by telecom network operators, internet service providers, plus business and government customers. It has signed up 40 customers since it launched the service commercially in September 2014.
Other portfolio companies cover technology, content and distribution, including Aorta, Benu and BitSight.
Gowen holds a degree in commerce from University of Virginia and has spent more than 15 years in the industry.
