Bala Sathiamurthy

Operating Partner & CISO

What Accomplishments and Awards Are You Most Proud of in Work or Life?

I’m one of the few to receive the Super Paranoid award at Yahoo. And I have the animated superhero character, “Captain Bandwidth,” to prove it.

What Is One Ingredient You Put in Everything?

Ketchup

What Does Your Ideal Day Consist Of?

Spending time with people who give me energy. At 7am, it’s my daughter.

My career began at the birth of the consumer internet. I worked on Microsoft’s IE4 browser team in the mid-’90s, followed by chapters at Yahoo!, NerdWallet, and Atlassian. I’ve been fortunate to sit at the center of several technological revolutions—early internet, mobile, and cloud. A technologist at heart, I’ve become a security enthusiast over time.

I first crossed paths with IVP while serving as CISO and VP of Engineering at NerdWallet. What struck me then is what still defines the firm today: a culture that is collaborative, low-ego, and truly committed to founders. IVP has a 45-year track record of backing breakthrough innovation, recognizing exceptional entrepreneurs early and supporting them as they take on the hardest problems in technology.

Now, as Operating Partner and CISO at IVP, I put my experience as an Engineering and Security leader to work for founders. I’ve spent time at public companies and at startups of various stages. I can roll up my sleeves to build with you, brainstorm with you, and bring the perspective of a buyer to help shape and position your product. More than anything, I am the kind of partner that builds truly innovative products—hands-on, technical, and committed to building alongside you.