Heidi Roizen
Encyclopedia
Heidi Roizen is a Silicon Valley
executive, venture capital
ist, and entrepreneur.
She graduated from Stanford University
in 1980 with a bachelor's degree
in English
and earned her MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business three years later.
From 1983 to 1996, Roizen was co-founder and CEO of T/Maker
Company, which made software for CP/M
and MSDOS computers, and later for the Apple Macintosh. Her brother, Peter Roizen was the other co-founder; he had graduated from the University of California, Berkeley
, and had written the original software named "Table Maker" that had launched the company. From 1987 until 1994, Roizen also served on the board of directors
of the Software Publishers Association and was its president from 1988 to 1990.
From 1996 to 1997, Roizen was Vice President of World Wide Developer Relations for Apple Computer
. She also served on the board of Great Plains Software from 1997 until its acquisition by Microsoft
in 2001.
Roizen also served as the Public Governor of the Pacific Exchange
and on the executive committee of the National Venture Capital Association
(NVCA).
Roizen was a Venture Capitalist with SOFTBANK Venture Capital, which became Mobius Venture Capital, from 1999 to 2007.
In December 2007 she returned to the entrepreneurial world, launching SkinnySongs, a producer and distributor of music designed to help women lose weight. Roizen founded the company and served as “Chief Lyrical Officer”, penning all the lyrics.
In September 2008, the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and Executives awarded Heidi Roizen their annual Achievement Award.
In June 2009, Roizen was elected to the Board of Directors of TiVo (NASDAQ:TIVO), and in August 2009, she was elected to the Board of Directors of Yellow Pages Group (TSX:YLO-UN).
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
executive, venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
ist, and entrepreneur.
She graduated from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1980 with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
and earned her MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business three years later.
From 1983 to 1996, Roizen was co-founder and CEO of T/Maker
T/Maker
T/Maker Company was an early personal computer software company. Created in 1979 by software engineer Peter Roizen , the original product, "Table Maker," later shortened to "T/Maker," was one of the first spreadsheet programs designed for the personal computer user...
Company, which made software for CP/M
CP/M
CP/M was a mass-market operating system created for Intel 8080/85 based microcomputers by Gary Kildall of Digital Research, Inc...
and MSDOS computers, and later for the Apple Macintosh. Her brother, Peter Roizen was the other co-founder; he had graduated from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, and had written the original software named "Table Maker" that had launched the company. From 1987 until 1994, Roizen also served on the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the Software Publishers Association and was its president from 1988 to 1990.
From 1996 to 1997, Roizen was Vice President of World Wide Developer Relations for Apple Computer
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
. She also served on the board of Great Plains Software from 1997 until its acquisition by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
in 2001.
Roizen also served as the Public Governor of the Pacific Exchange
Pacific Exchange
The Pacific Exchange was, until 2001, a regional stock exchange with a main exchange floor and building in San Francisco, California, USA and a branch in Los Angeles, California, USA. Its history began with the founding of the San Francisco Stock and Bond Exchange in 1882 and the Los Angeles Oil...
and on the executive committee of the National Venture Capital Association
National Venture Capital Association
The National Venture Capital Association is the leading trade association representing the venture capital industry in the U.S. The NVCA represents the venture industry in public policy debates in Washington, DC, and promotes high professional standards, professional development, and interaction...
(NVCA).
Roizen was a Venture Capitalist with SOFTBANK Venture Capital, which became Mobius Venture Capital, from 1999 to 2007.
In December 2007 she returned to the entrepreneurial world, launching SkinnySongs, a producer and distributor of music designed to help women lose weight. Roizen founded the company and served as “Chief Lyrical Officer”, penning all the lyrics.
In September 2008, the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and Executives awarded Heidi Roizen their annual Achievement Award.
In June 2009, Roizen was elected to the Board of Directors of TiVo (NASDAQ:TIVO), and in August 2009, she was elected to the Board of Directors of Yellow Pages Group (TSX:YLO-UN).
External links
- Heidi Roizen’s personal website
- SkinnySongs Home page
- Heidi Roizen on the Martha Stewart Show
- Harvard Business School Case: Heidi Roizen
- Forum for Women Entrepreneurs & Executives: Achievement Award 2008 Video
- Forum for Women Entrepreneurs & Executives Gives Roizen Achievement Award for 2008
- Interview on Fresh Dialogues Nov 2008 re. Skinny Songs
- Fresh Dialogues Interview Dec 2008 re. Tips for Entrepreneurs
- Entrepreneurial Heroes podcast interview with NCWIT