Alain Harrus

Alain Harrus, Ph.D., Chairman, joined Kateeva in October 2013. Previously, he was a Partner at Crosslink Capital, a San Francisco-based venture capital company where he led the firm’s semiconductor and energy technology investment activities. Before turning to venture capital, Alain developed breakthrough process technologies that kept semiconductor manufacturers on track with Moore’s Law – first as a research scientist at Bell Laboratories, later as Chief Technology Officer at Novellus Systems – now part of Lam Research. There, he championed a total copper metallization solution for advanced semiconductor manufacturing – a disruptive move that made Novellus a category leader and helped catapult the company across the $1 billion revenue threshold.

As an investor, Alain focused on early-stage science-based hardware companies developing challenging technologies. An engaged Board member, he advised executive teams on strategic growth initiatives, particularly technology roadmap development, product and commercialization strategies, and infrastructure, as well as fund-raising, valuation, and exits.

Alain holds a BS degree in Mathematics and an MS degree in Physics from the University of Paris XI at Orsay, France, as well as a Ph.D. degree in Solid State Physics from Temple University in Philadelphia. He has authored and co-authored more than 30 technical papers and is a co-inventor on six patents.