Kenneth R. Pelowski, Founder and Managing Partner

Ken founded Pinnacle in 2002. He leads Pinnacle’s investment efforts in the technology and cleantech areas and also oversees the firm’s healthcare investment practice. Ken was the lead partner on Aquantia, Avnera, BlueKai, Broadbus Technologies (acquired by Motorola), Cobalt Technologies, Farecast (acquired by Microsoft), Gilt Groupe, Kaai, Kabam, LifeSize Communications (acquired by Logitech), Mascoma, Miasole’, RGB Networks, Right Media (acquired by Yahoo), Silver Peak Systems, SocialVibe, Topanga Technologies, WiChorus (acquired by Tellabs) and ZING Systems (acquired by Dell). He currently serves as a board director at Aquantia, Cobalt Technologies, Kabam and SocialVibe, and previously was a board director at WiChorus. Ken also is a board member on several nonprofit organizations.
 
Ken founded Pinnacle while working at Redpoint Ventures. Prior to Redpoint, Ken founded and was Chairman of the Board of Currenex, which was acquired by State Street for $560 million. Before Currenex, Ken was Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and a Board Director of GetThere (a Brentwood Venture Capital/USVP portfolio company) where he led its IPO as well as its $750 million acquisition by Sabre. Prior to joining GetThere, Ken was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Preview Travel (a Kleiner Perkins portfolio company), which acquired and changed its name to Travelocity. Ken led Preview’s IPO. Before joining Preview Travel, Ken was a Corporate Vice President and Executive Committee Member at General Instruments and at Quantum Corporation where he was responsible for corporate strategy and business development. Previously, he held senior management positions in sales and marketing at Sun Microsystems and Intel.
 
He received a BSE in electrical engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

kpelowski@pinnacleventures.com
(650) 926-7802