Tom Baruch
Encyclopedia
Tom Baruch is a leading venture capitalist
based in San Francisco. He founded CMEA Capital in 1989 with New Enterprise Associates
(NEA), to focus on venture capital investments in companies applying materials science to innovations that have the ability to transform or create new industries (the acronym CMEA standing for Chemicals and Materials Enterprise Associates).
, a Juris Doctor degree from Capital University
, and is a registered patent attorney. Baruch started his career at the Battelle Development Corporation
in the late 1960s. At Exxon Corporation
in the 1970s and early '80s he managed investments and created several early-stage technology companies applying materials science and semiconductor-industry technologies such as Supertex (SUPX). Baruch then founded and served as CEO of Microwave Technology, Inc., a supplier of gallium arsenide integrated circuits and value-added sub-systems.
(MRGM); Netro (NTRO); Entropic Communications, Inc. (ENTR); Flextronics
(FLEX); Symyx Technologies
(SMMX), and Silicon Spice, acquired by Broadcom
(BRCM).
Baruch is now a partner emeritus at CMEA and maintains involvement in his portfolio companies. Baruch currently serves as Chairman of Codexis Inc.
, Intermolecular, CNano and Wildcat Discovery Technologies. He is also a board member at Entropic Communications (ENTR) and Foro Energy . An area of special interest to Baruch is an innovative process for developing new materials called combinatorial chemistry
. It applies a convergence of genomics, Moore’s law hardware and custom software to enable very rapid synthesis and screening of new materials. Tom has pioneered CMEA’s investments in companies that apply combinatorial synthesis including Codexis, Draths, Intermolecular, Symyx Technologies, Syryx and Wildcat Discovery.
Tom is the founder and managing director of Baruch Future Ventures, through which he is involved in a number of public service organizations. Baruch is a member of the Board of Trustees of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and he and his wife Johanna established the Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research . Baruch also serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the Council on Competitiveness
, and serves on the Department of Commerce’s National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship . Baruch also serves on the board of the Sierra Club
Climate Recovery Partnership
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
based in San Francisco. He founded CMEA Capital in 1989 with New Enterprise Associates
New Enterprise Associates
New Enterprise Associates is a global investment firm focused on venture capital and growth equity investments. With approximately $11 billion in committed capital, NEA is among the largest venture firms. The firm invests in three broad industry sectors: information technology, healthcare, and...
(NEA), to focus on venture capital investments in companies applying materials science to innovations that have the ability to transform or create new industries (the acronym CMEA standing for Chemicals and Materials Enterprise Associates).
Early Career
Baruch holds an engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteRensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
, a Juris Doctor degree from Capital University
Capital University
Capital University is a private liberal arts university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Bexley, Ohio, founded in 1830. In addition to its rigorous liberal arts program, the university also offers a reputable adult degree program in Columbus, Ohio. It is one of the oldest...
, and is a registered patent attorney. Baruch started his career at the Battelle Development Corporation
Battelle Memorial Institute
Battelle Memorial Institute is a private nonprofit applied science and technology development company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Battelle is a charitable trust organized as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the State of Ohio and is exempt from taxation under Section 501 of the...
in the late 1960s. At Exxon Corporation
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
in the 1970s and early '80s he managed investments and created several early-stage technology companies applying materials science and semiconductor-industry technologies such as Supertex (SUPX). Baruch then founded and served as CEO of Microwave Technology, Inc., a supplier of gallium arsenide integrated circuits and value-added sub-systems.
Recent Career
At CMEA Baruch was one of the original investors in Aclara Biosciences, which merged with Monogram BiosciencesMonogram Biosciences
Monogram Biosciences Inc. , a wholly owned subsidiary of LabCorp, is an international biotechnology laboratory located in South San Francisco, California, USA...
(MRGM); Netro (NTRO); Entropic Communications, Inc. (ENTR); Flextronics
Flextronics
Flextronics International Ltd. is an electronics manufacturing services provider that offers services to original equipment manufacturers . It also provides supporting supply chain services, including packaging and transportation throughout the world, as well as design and after-sales...
(FLEX); Symyx Technologies
Symyx Technologies
Symyx Technologies is a pioneer in the area of combinatorial chemistry applied to heterogeneous catalysis and homogeneous catalysis, polymer formulations, electronic and magnetic materials....
(SMMX), and Silicon Spice, acquired by Broadcom
Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a fabless semiconductor company in the wireless and broadband communication business. The company is headquartered in Irvine, California, USA. Broadcom was founded by a professor-student pair Henry Samueli and Henry T. Nicholas III from the University of California, Los...
(BRCM).
Baruch is now a partner emeritus at CMEA and maintains involvement in his portfolio companies. Baruch currently serves as Chairman of Codexis Inc.
Codexis Inc.
Codexis, Inc. is an industrial biotechnology company that develops customized biocatalysts and microorganisms used in sustainable chemicals, biofuels and pharmaceutical processes. Codexis has partners such as Shell, Merck and Pfizer.- Biofuel :...
, Intermolecular, CNano and Wildcat Discovery Technologies. He is also a board member at Entropic Communications (ENTR) and Foro Energy . An area of special interest to Baruch is an innovative process for developing new materials called combinatorial chemistry
Combinatorial chemistry
Combinatorial chemistry involves the rapid synthesis or the computer simulation of a large number of different but structurally related molecules or materials...
. It applies a convergence of genomics, Moore’s law hardware and custom software to enable very rapid synthesis and screening of new materials. Tom has pioneered CMEA’s investments in companies that apply combinatorial synthesis including Codexis, Draths, Intermolecular, Symyx Technologies, Syryx and Wildcat Discovery.
Tom is the founder and managing director of Baruch Future Ventures, through which he is involved in a number of public service organizations. Baruch is a member of the Board of Trustees of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and he and his wife Johanna established the Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research . Baruch also serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the Council on Competitiveness
Council on Competitiveness
The Council on Competitiveness is an American non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. The Council’s goal is to increase the United States' economic competitiveness in the global marketplace...
, and serves on the Department of Commerce’s National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship . Baruch also serves on the board of the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
Climate Recovery Partnership