Gutbrain Founders and CEOs
“I am the CEO of a venture backed company and I have been working with Bob Davoli as an investor and board member for 15 years. There are investors and then there is Bob Davoli. Bob just gets it. He has an innate ability to see the elements that need to come together to make a paradigm shift or an entirely new way of doing things. He sees the market as is, the market as it can be, the technology and the entrepreneurs and then can tell if those elements are all aligned. That is not something that can be taught. If you look at his track records he is one of the most successful, if not the most successful investor, on the east coast. It is not luck when you have done it as many times as Bob has over his long career as a VC.”
— Bill Andrews, President & CEO of ExaGrid
“Bob is a true Renaissance man. A proven, successful entrepreneur and investor, politically and culturally astute and a passionate musician. Having been fortunate enough to have worked with Bob for 15 years at three companies I am fortunate to have learned much from him and been the recipient of his counsel, loyalty and passion. I would not hesitate to, and hope I get to continue working with him for many more years.”
— Tom Axbey, former CEO of Rave Wireless and CloudHealth
“I have worked with Bob for over 20 years across 3 different companies in roles ranging from CFO, COO to CEO. I have found Bob’s direct and supportive style combined with his broad technology and business experience across various economic cycles invaluable in driving success from the earliest stages of a company’s life through to successful exits. Bob partners with his management teams tirelessly to assess strategic options, build teams and overcome the inevitable challenges in running a high growth technology company.”
— Paul Bernard, President & CEO of CallMiner
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Bob for almost 20 years. Bob is a remarkable investor, who, because of his extensive operating and investment experience, is able to understand the business opportunities his companies pursue, engage in operational discussions to help his companies scale, and help drive the investment needed to support strong growth and value creation. His partnership approach with his CEOs, helps his companies achieve their growth potential and creates value for the employees, the investors, and the customers they serve.”
— Stephanie Feraday, President & CEO of aPriori Technologies
“I have worked with Bob Davoli for over 25 years at his various portfolio companies. Bob has supported Interactions since its inception and has been a true partner in our development and success. His passion for innovation and growth is unmatched as are his integrity and loyalty.”
— Mike Iacobucci, CEO of Interactions Corp.
“Bob is a visionary early tech investor. He is also an exceptionally committed investor, supporting founders throughout the years it can take to build a flourishing company. His profound technology and operating experience continuously add great value to each company. Additionally, as a woman founder, I want to underscore Bob’s strong support for women entrepreneurs and CEOs. His concern for the success of Paradigm4 parallels his focus on the success of the team and has been essential to driving Paradigm4 forward.”
— Marilyn Matz, Co-Founder & CEO of Paradigm4
“I have known Bob for 25 years, and I like him a lot. He is a former entrepreneur, has great instincts for market direction, and a terrific Rolodex. I like Bob’s directness because you always know where you stand. He has backed two companies I have founded, and I would work with him again in a heartbeat.”
— Michael Stonebraker, M.I.T. Professor and Turing Laureate
Co-Investors
“It’s been fun working with Bob on the CloudHealth board over the past six years. His ability to center on the right issues, find common interest across different motivations, and apply positive pressure towards good outcomes is something special.
With his vast experience across so many investments, he naturally empathizes with whomever he’s dealing with. People don’t argue with their own conclusions- Bob sees the path and has the patience to let you arrive at the right answer. A masterclass in soft power and nudging alignment.”
— Bob Brennan, Fairwinds
— Former CEO of American Internet, Connected, Iron Mountain, and Veracode
“Bob is the kind of investment partner every entrepreneur and tech CEO wishes they could have. As an experienced entrepreneur and CEO himself, he is able to cut through the clutter and get right to the heart of the matter. He has great instincts and a keen analytical approach, helping him provide valuable insights on a variety of business issues. And with his direct style nothing gets lost in translation. He is also one of the best investors in the VC business as demonstrated by the dozens of companies that he has guided to successful exits.”
— Bruce Clarke, PBJ Capital
— Chairman & Co-Founder, Arrowstreet Capital
“I have worked with and co-invested with Bob now in four ventures. Bob has the uncanny ability to spot an interesting company, and founder, in a sector that will have immense promise. He is a terrific partner to those founders and the investors he works with. Always prepared for important strategic discussions with an eye toward creating value. He is also immensely supportive of the companies he works with. Of our four ventures, one has been sold for a significant profit and the other three appear to be IPO candidates in the future.”
— Mike DiPiano, NewSpring Capital
“Bob is one of the most value-add investors and board members with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working. His wealth of experience over decades of both investing in and building companies as an entrepreneur combined with just incredible intuition allow Bob to provide his companies with north star-like guidance. Bob thinks big and encourages his entrepreneurs to achieve success beyond their perceived limitations while working to optimize outcomes for all stakeholders. Any entrepreneur would be fortunate to have Bob involved in his or her venture.”
— Greg Dracon, .406 Ventures
“Bob truly understands what it takes to build a successful software business. His roots as a software entrepreneur and operator make him uniquely qualified to advise his portfolio companies. When Bob was the lead investor for my company, Aprimo, I always appreciated how he negotiated win-win outcomes with the management team. Now as a co-investor alongside Bob, I marvel at his perseverance to create enterprise value and his savvy to optimize investor outcomes.”
— Bill Godfrey, 4G Ventures
“I’ve worked with Bob for over 13 years as a fellow investor and board member. Bob’s extensive experience as an entrepreneur, operator, and investor give him an exceptional combination of skills, insights, and connections that help the companies he invests in achieve the highest level of success. Perhaps one of the greatest qualities that Bob brings to the table is his tenacity and dedication to thinking long-term and building massive, enduring value -- guiding founders and management teams to think bigger and bolder than they might otherwise. His long, deep record of success speaks for itself. As a fellow investor, I’ve learned much while working and investing with Bob, and any founder or management team will likewise find him to be an amazing sponsor – one of the best in the business.”
— Kent Parker, Snake Run Capital
“I have known Bob for over 20 years, originally meeting him when I was CEO of a startup, then as a friend, and now as a board colleague and co-investor in some of his deals. Bob is an astute investor who helps entrepreneurs maintain focus on the key drivers of value creation. He strongly supports his investments with his energy and an expansive network of experts and partners.”
— Michael Wilens, former CEO Westlaw and President of Fidelity Asset Management, and current Fidelity board director and President of Fidelity Enterprise Services