Overview

Gender

male

Investor Type

Investment Partner

Craig Asher has had a successful track record of developing software companies. Over the past ten years he has been a key team member in three successful software startups: Commerce One; Trigo Technologies; and the internal IBM startup for InfoSphere Traceability Server. He has guided major software implementations at over 50 customers in markets including retail, medical products, pharmaceuticals, and general distribution.

At Trigo Technologies Craig’s position was director of product management. He played a broad role as company strategist for marketing, sales, product development, and professional services, and he also drove implementation of much of the strategy. During Craig’s tenure at Trigo, annual revenue grew from under $1 million to nearly $40 million and the firm attained profitability. Trigo was successfully sold to IBM for over $140 million in April, 2004, thereby generating significant profits for venture capital and individual investors.

Following Trigo’s sale to IBM, Craig formed a new startup group within IBM to build a new product for information management software for sensor data. Craig’s role in the new venture was the product strategist, product manager, and implementation manager. In 2005 the venture signed its first customer, Glaxo Smith Kline, and Craig led the delivery to that customer in 2006. He Co-chaired the international EPCglobal EPCIS standard which was the core for the broad adoption of similar information management software, and attained ratification of the standard in 2007. Craig significantly helped sign and implement 7 additional customers until his departure from IBM to join Vital Venture Capital. In 2008 the IBM product’s customer base grew to 15 customers, annual sales were approximately $9 million and gross margin was approximately $6 million.

Craig has enjoyed co-chairing several working groups in international standards bodies. He has one issued US patent - 7,866,543. He also has extensive experience in marketing strategy, product management, product development, services delivery, business development, and technical sales for growing software companies.

Before moving into software startups, Craig was a consultant with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) in the supply chain strategy practice, and helped drive the turnaround of a distressed packaging manufacturer. Craig did his undergraduate work at Stanford University, and completed his MBA and Masters in Industrial Engineering at Northwestern University.