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{{short description|American politician}}{{Infobox person
{{More citations needed|date=October 2019}}
| education = University of California San Diego<br/>University of California Berkeley
| occupation = Venture Capitalist
| known_for = Founder of Ask.com
| party = Democratic party
}}


'''Garrett Gruener''' is founder of [[Ask.com]] and a co-founder of [[Alta Partners]], a venture capital firm. He was also a candidate for the [[2003 California recall]] special election from the [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic Party]], finishing [[Results of the 2003 California recall|28th in a field of 135 candidates]] with 2,562 votes.
'''Garrett Gruener''' is an American venture capitalist, most known as the founder of [[Ask.com]] and a co-founder of [[Alta Partners]]. He was also a candidate for the [[2003 California recall]] special election from the [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic Party]], finishing [[Results of the 2003 California recall|28th in a field of 135 candidates]] with 2,562 votes.


==Education==
==Education==


Gruener is a class of '76 [[ucsd alumni|UCSD alumnus]]. He received his [[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]] at the [[University of California San Diego]], and he received his [[Master of Arts|M.A.]] at the [[University of California Berkeley]],<ref name=Garrett>{{cite web|title=Garrett P. Gruener|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=67403&privcapId=796147&previousCapId=4378045&previousTitle=Aspen%20Institute,%20The|publisher=Bloomburg Businessweek|accessdate=August 21, 2012}}</ref> both in Political Science with a focus on technology policy.<ref name="crunchbase">{{cite web|url=https://www.crunchbase.com/person/garrett-gruener|title=Garrett Gruener - Founder @ Ask.com|publisher=Crunchbase|accessdate=May 15, 2020}}</ref>
Gruener received his [[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]] at the [[University of California San Diego]] in 1976, and he received his [[Master of Arts|M.A.]] at the [[University of California Berkeley]].<ref name=Garrett>{{cite web|title=Garrett P. Gruener|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=67403&privcapId=796147&previousCapId=4378045&previousTitle=Aspen%20Institute,%20The|publisher=Bloomburg Businessweek|accessdate=August 21, 2012}}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==Career==
==Career==
===Business===
===Business===


Gruener has been working for more than two decades in the fields of software development, systems engineering, and corporate development. In 1982, he founded Virtual Microsystems, a communications software company that was later merged with a larger corporation. Garrett specializes in information technology and is on the board of directors of [[NCircle network security|nCircle Network Security]], Xelerated, and Nanomix.<ref>{{cite web|title=Garrett Gruener Executive Chairman, Nanōmix, Inc. Co-Founder, Alta Partners Founder, Ask Jeeves, now Ask.com|url=https://gspp.berkeley.edu/about/leadership/board-of-advisors/garrett-gruener|publisher=Goldman School of Public Policy|accessdate=30 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Board of Directors Garrett Gruener Executive Chairman Garrett Gruener|url=http://www.nano.com/nanomix-board.html|website=Nanomix|accessdate=30 August 2016}}</ref> In 1992, he became a Partner at Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co.<ref name="crunchbase"/> In 1996, along with [[Jean Deleage]], Guy Nohra and Marino Polestral, he co-founded [[Alta Partners]], a venture capital firm in life sciences.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zafgen-secures-21-million-in-series-d-financing-181990011.html|title=Zafgen Secures $21 Million in Series D Financing|publisher=[[PR Newswire]]|date=2012-12-04|accessdate=2020-05-16}}</ref>
Gruener has been working for more than two decades in the fields of software development, systems engineering, and corporate development. In 1982, he founded ''[[#Virtual Microsystems|Virtual Microsystems]]'', a communications software company that was later merged with a larger corporation. Garrett specializes in information technology and is on the board of directors of [[NCircle network security|nCircle Network Security]], Xelerated, and Nanomix.<ref>{{cite web|title=Garrett Gruener Executive Chairman, Nanōmix, Inc. Co-Founder, Alta Partners Founder, Ask Jeeves, now Ask.com|url=https://gspp.berkeley.edu/about/leadership/board-of-advisors/garrett-gruener|publisher=Goldman School of Public Policy|accessdate=30 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Board of Directors Garrett Gruener Executive Chairman Garrett Gruener|url=http://www.nano.com/nanomix-board.html|website=Nanomix|accessdate=30 August 2016}}</ref> In 1992, he became a Partner at Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co.{{cn|date=August 2021}} In 1996, along with [[Jean Deleage]], Guy Nohra and Marino Polestral, he co-founded [[Alta Partners]], a venture capital firm in life sciences.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zafgen-secures-21-million-in-series-d-financing-181990011.html|title=Zafgen Secures $21 Million in Series D Financing|publisher=[[PR Newswire]]|date=2012-12-04|accessdate=2020-05-16}}</ref> As of 2018, he is still serving as the company's Managing Director. He is also on the Board of Directors of [[Goldman School of Public Policy]], part of the University of California, Berkeley.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gspp.berkeley.edu/about/leadership/board-of-advisors/garrett-gruener|title=Garrett Gruener {{!}} Board of Advisors|publisher=[[University of California, Berkeley]]|date=2018-07-18|accessdate=2020-05-16}}</ref>


==== Ask.com ====
====Ask.com====
{{main|Ask.com}}
{{main|Ask.com}}


In 1995, Gruener alongside David Warthen, a consulting engineer, created a company called Ask Jeeves. After both investing over $250,000 they set up their office in [[Berkeley, California]]. Named after the butler in the stories by [[P.G. Wodehouse]] "who had an answer to every problem", the firm provides software that operates in a "[[question answering|question-and-answer]]" format. In 1997, they made their product available for free on the Internet under the name [[Ask.com]]. The product utilizes syntactic and semantic analysis to answer the asked question through one of the around 10,000 basic formulas. It shows various versions of the question and allows the user to pick the desired one. In the beginning, the company employed around 40 workers who provided the users with the needed answer to their question. In 1998, the company made around $1 million profit for adds on its website.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/1999/0419/6308230a.html#3a7b0d6455d4|title=Digital butler|work=[[Forbes (magazine)|Forbes]]|date=1999-04-19|accessdate=2020-05-16}}</ref> In 2003, Gruener stepped out of the chairman position at Ask.com<ref name="businessinsider">{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/people/garrett-gruener-david-warthen|title=Garrett Gruener and David Warthen|publisher=[[Business Insider]]|accessdate=2020-05-16}}</ref>
In 1995, Gruener alongside David Warthen, a consulting engineer, created a company called Ask Jeeves.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Warzel |first=Charlie |date=2023-03-03 |title=The Vindication of Ask Jeeves |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/03/ask-jeeves-chatgpt-bing-ai-chatbot-google-search/673275/ |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref> After both investing over $250,000 they set up their office in [[Berkeley, California]]. Named after the butler in the stories by [[P.G. Wodehouse]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-12 |title=Why Everyone Stopped Asking Jeeves |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/94784/why-everyone-stopped-asking-jeeves |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=Mental Floss |language=en-us}}</ref> "who had an answer to every problem", the firm provides software that operates in a "[[question answering|question-and-answer]]" format. In 1997, they made their product available for free on the Internet under the name [[Ask.com]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=A. O. L. |date=2023-03-06 |title=Ask Jeeves founder says AI chatbots can finally realise his dream |url=https://www.aol.com/ask-jeeves-founder-says-ai-174643613.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAANof8-XWkenjveKvzUuEzTp7h307sTfb0EMcLvQ1z70soOXbHQPykc-HndQITbJwzyiQsr0YSYML7sJOUqdQ-6rmHm_zx6uoBvIVSbTKGJGX3vtIZX2az3OKj6enwKrzSDkkz94CCO2xoQ1mOKsTbsxnhsQQxp4wfy247QN0Leo |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=www.aol.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The product utilizes syntactic and semantic analysis to answer the asked question through one of the around 10,000 basic formulas. It shows various versions of the question and allows the user to pick the desired one. In the beginning, the company employed around 40 workers who provided the users with the needed answer to their question. In 1998, the company made around $1 million profit for adverts on its website.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/1999/0419/6308230a.html#3a7b0d6455d4|title=Digital butler|work=[[Forbes (magazine)|Forbes]]|date=1999-04-19|accessdate=2020-05-16}}</ref> In 2003, Gruener stepped out of the chairman position at Ask.com.<ref name="businessinsider">{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/people/garrett-gruener-david-warthen|title=Garrett Gruener and David Warthen|publisher=[[Business Insider]]|accessdate=2020-05-16}}</ref>

====Virtual Microsystems====
''Virtual Microsystems Inc'' (VMI) software<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[InfoWorld]] |page=19
|author=Tom Moran |title=Virtual Microsystems, Inc.
|date=January 5, 1987}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Network World]]
|date=February 8, 1988 |page=3
|title=Virtual Microsystems, Inc.
|quote=enables terminal users in a DECnet environment run MS-DOS programs}}</ref> enabled running [[MS-DOS]] and [[CP/M]] application programs on [[Digital Equipment Corporation]]'s [[VAX]] minicomputers.<ref name=VMI_also>{{cite magazine
|magazine=[[Digital Review (1983-1992)|Digital Review]] |date=April 4, 1988
|title=VMI, Logicraft up the Ante
|quote=a new version of [[Logicraft]]'s 386Ware that provides more support for the [[VAXstation]]
|author=Kristina Sorenson}}</ref> As of mid-1988, ''Virtual Microsystems Inc'' (VMI) and ''[[Logicraft]]'' were "the only commercially available products that let VAX/VMS systems run standard off-the-shelf PC applications from terminals and [[VAXstation]]s."<ref name=VMI_also/> VMI's "The Bridge" facilitated using the DEC machine's hard disk, which in turn provided better backups than individualized floppy-based arrangements.<ref name=VMI.Inc82>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Inc. (magazine)|Inc.]]
|url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/19821001/4606.html
|title=Making A Big Machine Act Like A Small One
|date=October 1982}}</ref> ''The Bridge'' is slower than a top end PC; VMI's ''Z-Board'' add-on matches that speed.<ref name=VMI.Inc82/>

Other benefits included developing software for PCs<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[Computerworld]]
|date=February 11, 1985 |page=37
|title=Virtual Microsystems, Inc.
|quote=By using the Bridge, users reportedly can compile and run Intel PL/M86 programs from any terminal}}</ref> and printing on DEC-attached high speed printers.<ref name=VMI.Inc82/>


===Politics===
===Politics===
Gruener was one of the candidates to aggressively use the Internet to push his message, and also ran campaign ads in selected television markets. However, he was concerned about eventual winner [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] winning and so in the last week of the campaign threw his support to [[Cruz Bustamante]], the primary Democratic candidate. Gruener received $1.07 million in contributions to his committee.
Gruener was a candidate for the [[2003 California gubernatorial recall election]] from the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. He was one of the candidates who aggressively used the Internet to push his message and also ran campaign ads in selected television markets.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-aug-25-me-gruener25-story.html|title=High-Tech Modul Campaigns on Web|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Lee Romney|date=2003-08-25|accessdate=2020-05-16}}</ref> Eventually, Gruener finished [[Results of the 2003 California recall|28th in a field of 135 candidates]] with 2,562 votes.<ref name="businessinsider"/>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==

Gruener is an accomplished pilot. He lives with his wife, attorney Amy Slater, and their daughter Dakota Gruener, in [[Berkeley, California|Berkeley]].
Gruener is married to Amy Slater, an attorney and lecturer on the subject of negotiations and conflict resolution at the Goldman School of Public Policy and at the [[University of California, Hastings College of the Law]]. They live in the [[Bay Area]]. Gruener is also a pilot.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://b612foundation.org/members/garrett-gruener-and-amy-slater/|title=Garrett Gruener and Amy Slater|publisher=B612 Foundation|accessdate=2020-05-16}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/20/opinion/la-oe-gruener-tax-the-rich-20100920 I'm rich; tax me more by Garrett Gruener]
*[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-sep-20-la-oe-gruener-tax-the-rich-20100920-story.html I'm rich; tax me more by Garrett Gruener]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2roP3CyST2w Why Entrepreneurship is Important with Garrett Gruener]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2roP3CyST2w Why Entrepreneurship is Important with Garrett Gruener]


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[[Category:American technology company founders]]
[[Category:American technology company founders]]
[[Category:American venture capitalists]]
[[Category:American venture capitalists]]
[[Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni]]
[[Category:UC Berkeley College of Letters and Science alumni]]
[[Category:University of California, San Diego alumni]]
[[Category:University of California, San Diego alumni]]
[[Category:American technology chief executives]]
[[Category:American technology chief executives]]


{{US-compu-bio-stub}}
{{California-politician-stub}}

Latest revision as of 14:32, 10 December 2024

Garrett Gruener
EducationUniversity of California San Diego
University of California Berkeley
OccupationVenture Capitalist
Known forFounder of Ask.com
Political partyDemocratic party

Garrett Gruener is an American venture capitalist, most known as the founder of Ask.com and a co-founder of Alta Partners. He was also a candidate for the 2003 California recall special election from the Democratic Party, finishing 28th in a field of 135 candidates with 2,562 votes.

Education

[edit]

Gruener received his B.S. at the University of California San Diego in 1976, and he received his M.A. at the University of California Berkeley.[1]

Career

[edit]

Business

[edit]

Gruener has been working for more than two decades in the fields of software development, systems engineering, and corporate development. In 1982, he founded Virtual Microsystems, a communications software company that was later merged with a larger corporation. Garrett specializes in information technology and is on the board of directors of nCircle Network Security, Xelerated, and Nanomix.[2][3] In 1992, he became a Partner at Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co.[citation needed] In 1996, along with Jean Deleage, Guy Nohra and Marino Polestral, he co-founded Alta Partners, a venture capital firm in life sciences.[4] As of 2018, he is still serving as the company's Managing Director. He is also on the Board of Directors of Goldman School of Public Policy, part of the University of California, Berkeley.[5]

Ask.com

[edit]

In 1995, Gruener alongside David Warthen, a consulting engineer, created a company called Ask Jeeves.[6] After both investing over $250,000 they set up their office in Berkeley, California. Named after the butler in the stories by P.G. Wodehouse[7] "who had an answer to every problem", the firm provides software that operates in a "question-and-answer" format. In 1997, they made their product available for free on the Internet under the name Ask.com.[8] The product utilizes syntactic and semantic analysis to answer the asked question through one of the around 10,000 basic formulas. It shows various versions of the question and allows the user to pick the desired one. In the beginning, the company employed around 40 workers who provided the users with the needed answer to their question. In 1998, the company made around $1 million profit for adverts on its website.[9] In 2003, Gruener stepped out of the chairman position at Ask.com.[10]

Virtual Microsystems

[edit]

Virtual Microsystems Inc (VMI) software[11][12] enabled running MS-DOS and CP/M application programs on Digital Equipment Corporation's VAX minicomputers.[13] As of mid-1988, Virtual Microsystems Inc (VMI) and Logicraft were "the only commercially available products that let VAX/VMS systems run standard off-the-shelf PC applications from terminals and VAXstations."[13] VMI's "The Bridge" facilitated using the DEC machine's hard disk, which in turn provided better backups than individualized floppy-based arrangements.[14] The Bridge is slower than a top end PC; VMI's Z-Board add-on matches that speed.[14]

Other benefits included developing software for PCs[15] and printing on DEC-attached high speed printers.[14]

Politics

[edit]

Gruener was a candidate for the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election from the Democratic Party. He was one of the candidates who aggressively used the Internet to push his message and also ran campaign ads in selected television markets.[16] Eventually, Gruener finished 28th in a field of 135 candidates with 2,562 votes.[10]

Personal life

[edit]

Gruener is married to Amy Slater, an attorney and lecturer on the subject of negotiations and conflict resolution at the Goldman School of Public Policy and at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. They live in the Bay Area. Gruener is also a pilot.[17]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Garrett P. Gruener". Bloomburg Businessweek. Retrieved August 21, 2012.[dead link]
  2. ^ "Garrett Gruener Executive Chairman, Nanōmix, Inc. Co-Founder, Alta Partners Founder, Ask Jeeves, now Ask.com". Goldman School of Public Policy. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  3. ^ "Board of Directors Garrett Gruener Executive Chairman Garrett Gruener". Nanomix. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Zafgen Secures $21 Million in Series D Financing". PR Newswire. 2012-12-04. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  5. ^ "Garrett Gruener | Board of Advisors". University of California, Berkeley. 2018-07-18. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  6. ^ Warzel, Charlie (2023-03-03). "The Vindication of Ask Jeeves". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
  7. ^ "Why Everyone Stopped Asking Jeeves". Mental Floss. 2021-09-12. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
  8. ^ Staff, A. O. L. (2023-03-06). "Ask Jeeves founder says AI chatbots can finally realise his dream". www.aol.com. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
  9. ^ "Digital butler". Forbes. 1999-04-19. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b "Garrett Gruener and David Warthen". Business Insider. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  11. ^ Tom Moran (January 5, 1987). "Virtual Microsystems, Inc". InfoWorld. p. 19.
  12. ^ "Virtual Microsystems, Inc". Network World. February 8, 1988. p. 3. enables terminal users in a DECnet environment run MS-DOS programs
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Kristina Sorenson (April 4, 1988). "VMI, Logicraft up the Ante". Digital Review. a new version of Logicraft's 386Ware that provides more support for the VAXstation
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Making A Big Machine Act Like A Small One". Inc. October 1982.
  15. ^ "Virtual Microsystems, Inc". Computerworld. February 11, 1985. p. 37. By using the Bridge, users reportedly can compile and run Intel PL/M86 programs from any terminal
  16. ^ Lee Romney (2003-08-25). "High-Tech Modul Campaigns on Web". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  17. ^ "Garrett Gruener and Amy Slater". B612 Foundation. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
[edit]