Joseph Raffa
Venture Partner at Foresight Group
Los Altos, California
Overview
Work Experience
Senior Director, Strategy and Corporate Development
2024 - Current
Samsung Semiconductor provides semiconductor solutions, including DRAM, SSD, processors and image sensors and is one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world.
Venture Capital - Venture Partner
2020
Foresight focuses on Series A companies with differentiated IP in hardware, AI-based science, simulation and decarbonization segments. https://fwt.foresight.group/ Based in the SF Bay Area.
Board Observer
2023
Board Observer. Ayar Labs develops photonic I/O solutions for applications such as AI datacenters that require high bandwidth and low latency to move data.
Ayar Labs develops an optical I/O solution for applications that require high bandwidth and low latency using light to move data.
Raised $219,650,000.00 from Capital TEN, Hewlett Packard Pathfinder, GlobalFoundries, Intel Capital, IAG Capital Partners, VentureTech Alliance, Boardman Bay Capital Management, Tyche Partners, NVIDIA and Applied Ventures.
Executive in Residence, Board Advisor
2024 - 2024
Worked closely with the Quantum Delta board to help accelerate the commercialization of quantum technologies at the country level. Projects include drug discovery, research commercialization and VC-funded spinouts. In addition, I am personally coaching, mentoring and actively helping 10-12 startups. Based in the SF Bay Area with occasional trips to the Netherlands.
Speaker and Discussion Leader
2024 - 2024
Quantum Computing for Drug Discovery. Speaker and discussion leader on the topic of VC-funded research spinouts and commercialization. The Network on Evolving Quantum Technology (NEQT) is facilitated by Innovation Centre Denmark Silicon Valley. This collaboration brings together distinguished partners from the NNF Quantum Computing Programme (NQCP), Quantum Foundry Copenhagen at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Berkeley Lab, BioInnovation Institute (NATO DIANA), and the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Technical Advisory Board
2020 - 2024
Corporate development, fundraising, R&D partnerships, fabrication partnerships and product strategy. Initiated the partnership (announced December 2023) with the Advanced Quantum Testbed of Berkeley Labs focused on QPU design and fabrication. Based in the SF Bay Area.
Advisor, BCG Tech Ventures
2019 - 2020
Startup company formation based on corporate research projects. Venture capital fund formation.
BCG Securities focuses on wealth management with high net worth individuals.
Director, IBM Ventures (IBM Research focus)
2015 - 2019
Initiated IBM's outreach to quantum computer startups and their VC investors, exploring a variety of partnerships, joint development relationships and corporate direct investments. Additional focus on AI chip and infrastructure startups. Numerous small projects in additional areas, including network virtualization, enterprise AI, enterprise storage and geospatial information systems. Represented IBM as executive speaker at numerous venture capital and quantum computer industry events.
Director, Corporate Development (Yorktown Research spinout)
2015 - 2017
Explored commercialization options for a network virtualization research project in IBM Yorktown Research, include forming a venture capital funded startup spinout.
IBM is an IT technology and consulting firm providing computer hardware, software, infrastructure, and hosting services.
Patent Acquisition (Tessera)
2013 - 2015
Focused on patent acquisition to fuel Tessera's core business of IP licensing
Corporate Development (FotoNation)
2013 - 2015
M&A focused on startups developing visual processing algorithms, including face/iris/image recognition, automotive visual navigation and biometrics sensors and algorithms.
Venture Advisor
2010 - 2013
Projects include sourcing new deals and conducting due diligence for prospective new investments in information technology, energy and security startups. Paladin Capital is a venture capital firm investing in companies whose commercial products can also be applied to solve homeland security and national security issues, also known as dual-use.
Stategic Advisory Group
2010 - 2012