Dave Berkus

Dave Berkus has a well-established track record in operations, venture investing and corporate board service, both public and private. As an entrepreneur, he has formed, managed and sold successful businesses in the entertainment and software arenas.

As a private equity investor, he has obtained healthy returns from liquidity events in more than a dozen investments in early-stage ventures. As a corporate mentor and director, he was named Director of the Year for his directorship efforts with more than 40 companies.

Dave created his first company, Custom Fidelity, Inc., at the age of 15. He sold his interest in the Company to found Computerized Lodging Systems, Inc., becoming an early pioneer in the mini-computer industry.

He is credited with innovation of numerous technology firsts and has guided the computer company through a decade of growth, including two consecutive years on the Inc. 500 list of America’s fastest growing companies. He was recognized for those pioneering achievements with his induction into the Hospitality (HFTP) International Hall of Fame, one of only 42 people worldwide who’s been honored over the years.

Dave serves on executive boards for numerous public and private technology companies. Active in a total of more than forty companies, he has been recognized as Director of the Year by the Orange County-based Forum for Corporate Directors, and Technology Leader of the Year by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Dave is the co-author of fourteen books for entrepreneurs, investors and corporate boards. He is a past Vice President of the Western Region, Boy Scouts of America.

He is also Chairman of the Advisory Board of ABL – Technology, a networking organization of CEOs in high-tech businesses. Dave has made more than 202 investments in early-stage ventures, for which he has an IRR of 102%. He manages a number of early-stage funds, including Berkus Technology Ventures, LLC, Kodiak Ventures, L.P., Wayfare Ventures, as well as three Tech Coast Angels ACE Funds, where he is also Chairman Emeritus.

Dave serves as a Trustee of Occidental College, where he is Vice Chair of the Board. He is often engaged as keynote speaker for events worldwide, speaking on trends in technology and of legal and practical issues of governance for emerging company corporate boards.