Joined: February 2013
Steven Chen
PARTNER, CYBER INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Cyber Security
Government/Defense/Intelligence
Information Technology/SaaS/Big Data
Steven is a partner at Blu Venture Investors and serves on the Cyber Investment Committee. Steven is the founder and CEO of PFP Cybersecurity, a board member of N5 Sensors, a board observer of ThreatQuotient and SecureG, and founding chair of the BVI Cyber Investment Program. He is the former founder and CEO of 3eTI, an Intel Capital portfolio company, acquired by EFJohnson in 2006, founder and CEO of Totus Solutions, and CTO of EFJohnson, and vice president of PCB Piezotronics.
As an early-stage investor, Steven is excited to use his experience to help young entrepreneurs grow their businesses. His advice to entrepreneurs is that the best way to impress an investor is to show scalable revenue. Moreover, it is important to make sure that you have identified and created a product that people want—at the same time having created a proven business model and price point that generates sales.
Physical Security
FUNCTIONAL EXPERTISE
Engineering and Product Development
Management
Sales and Marketing
Strategy
COMPANIES
What drives you to invest in early stage companies?
I’m a serial entrepreneur with multiple exits and acquisitions and a career spanning decades. It is exciting and impactful to help young entrepreneurs grow their businesses, increase jobs, and create change in the world.
What advice would you give to startups?
Great ideas and tech are promising, but the best way to impress an investor is to show real revenue traction that is scalable. It’s important to make sure that you've identified and created a product that people want - at the same time having created a proven business model and price point that generates sales. When you are ready to approach investors, they will be most excited that you have figured-out a successful business model (that's proven by your revenue increases!) that any investments will mainly go to scaling something that has already seen successes. At the same time, I am a firm believer of entry barriers such as patent portfolios.