November 11th, 2016, 7:26 pm PT / Category: Interviews, PhocusWright, Travel & Hospitality
In this interview, Chris will tell us about the six gotta-haves in order to attract venture capital investors.
Chris Hemmeter has spent his entire professional life in and around startups and high-growth businesses in the hospitality, travel and technology space having founded six companies during his 30 years in business.
Today he is a co-founder and Managing Director of Thayer Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in emerging technology companies in the hospitality and travel space. Immediately Prior to Thayer Ventures, Chris was founder and President of iCare Marketing (sold to Sysco Foodservice Corporation in 2012) and founder and CEO of Dynamic Payment Ventures (sold to Elavon, a subsidiary of US Bank in 2007).
Prior to that, Chris was founder and CEO of CriticalArc Technologies, a supply-chain software provider to the foodservice industry, founder of E&O Kitchen and Bar, a casual dining chain based in San Francisco, founder of The Hemmeter Collection, a direct response retailer and founder of Hemmeter Publishing, a publisher and distributor of travel books and content. Upon graduating from Cornell University in 1986, Chris joined Hemmeter Investment Company, a real estate developer of destination-resort properties. Founded by his father in 1962, the Hemmeter organization developed major destination resort hotels in Hawaii and operated several related hospitality and travel businesses in the foodservice, gaming, retail and aviation sectors.
Chris received his undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Cornell University and his graduate degree from Harvard Business School in 1995, where he was recognized as a Baker Scholar for his academic achievement.
