Primary Job Title Managing Director Primary Organization 
Vanguard Ventures
Gender Male
Dan Eilers is a Managing Director at Vanguard and invests in software, hardware, storage, and other information technology companies. He brings over 20 years of technology management and venture capital experience to his role, including serving as the President and CEO of three companies--two private, one public, was the founding managing partner
of Apple Computer's venture capital fund, has been an active angel investor/advisor to start-ups, and the chief marketing officer at Apple Computer.
Immediately prior to joining Vanguard Ventures, he was an angel investor, advisor and board member to several early stage private and public companies including WEBEX Communications, SiteSmith, and Carrier Access Corporation. Dan served as President and CEO of CIDCO, Inc., a consumer telecommunications products company which grew to over $250 million in revenue under his leadership. There Dan was responsible for launching twelve new products, including the pioneering iPhone Internet screen phone and the MailStation. He also served as CEO-in-residence at Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, assisting in the evaluation of numerous venture capital investments, and advising portfolio companies on operational and strategic matters. While in this role, he became CEO and President of NAT Systems, a private enterprise software and services company backed by KPCB, which was subsequently acquired. He spent nine years at Apple, held the Chief Marketing Officer position (Senior Vice President, Worldwide Marketing), and established and led for 6 years Apple's strategic investment group, which included venture capital investing, joint ventures, acquisitions and alliances. Dan also led Claris Corporation as President and CEO as it grew from being the world's 13th largest to the 8th largest vendor of personal computer software applications.
Dan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Washington, and an MBA degree from Stanford University.
