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Private company

Highland Capital Partners

Logo: Highland Capital Partners, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

Global venture capital firm

Highland Capital Partners is a Boston, Massachusetts-based global venture capital firm with offices in Silicon Valley, and San Francisco. The company was founded in 1987 by Paul Maeder and Bob Higgins. Highland has raised over $4 billion in committed capital and invested in more than 280 companies, with 47 IPOs and 134 acquisitions.2 It is headquartered in Cambridge.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1988Founded1

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Highland Capital Partners is a Boston, Massachusetts-based global venture capital firm with offices in Silicon Valley, and San Francisco. The company was founded in 1987 by Paul Maeder and Bob Higgins.2

Corporate structure

Highland Capital Partners sits at the top of its group. 2 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Major holders of Highland Capital Partners

  • Sean Macmillan Dalton Owns 5% to 10% of Highland Capital Partners, since 12/2005 (Form ADV)
  • Robert J Davis Owns 10% to 25% of Highland Capital Partners, since 12/2005 (Form ADV)
  • Paul Albert Maeder Owns 10% to 25% of Highland Capital Partners, since 06/1988 (Form ADV)
  • Daniel Joseph Nowiszewiski Owns 10% to 25% of Highland Capital Partners, since 01/2002 (Form ADV)
  • Corey Michael Mulloy Owns 10% to 25% of Highland Capital Partners, since 01/2016 (Form ADV)
  • Highland Capital Partners Cambridge

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G; owners and owned firms from Form ADV, the registration investment advisers file with the SEC. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

Investment adviser

Highland Capital Partners is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. This is what it reports on Form ADV, the registration every adviser files and keeps current.

Who owns it

Owners of 5% or more as the firm lists them (Schedule A), and the owners of those owners up the chain (Schedule B).

  • Robert J Davisowns 10% to 25%, since 12/2005
  • Paul Albert Maederowns 10% to 25%, since 06/1988
  • Corey Michael Mulloyowns 10% to 25%, since 01/2016
  • Daniel Joseph Nowiszewiskiowns 10% to 25%, since 01/2002
  • Sean Macmillan Daltonowns 5% to 10%, since 12/2005

Disciplinary record

The firm answered yes to 3 of the disciplinary questions on Form ADV (Item 11). A yes can concern the firm itself or an affiliate.

  • The SEC or the CFTC has found the firm or an advisory affiliate to have been involved in a violation of SEC or CFTC regulations or statutes.
  • The SEC or the CFTC has entered an order against the firm or an advisory affiliate in connection with investment-related activity.
  • The SEC or the CFTC has imposed a civil money penalty on the firm or an advisory affiliate, or ordered the firm or an advisory affiliate to cease and desist from any activity.

Each event as the firm describes it on its Disclosure Reporting Pages:

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION · Feb 15, 2022 · fine $95,000 · final

Allegations: THE SEC ALLEGED THAT A PRINCIPAL OF REGISTRANT MADE A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION TO AN UNSUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, A STATE WHOSE PUBLIC PENSION PLAN HAD INVESTED IN VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDS ADVISED BY REGISTRANT. AFTER THE CONTRIBUTION REGISTRANT CONTINUED TO PROVIDE ADVISORY SERVICES FOR COMPENSATION TO THE VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDS. THE PUBLIC PENSION PLAN HAD ALREADY INVESTED IN FUNDS AT THE TIME OF THE CONTRIBUTION, AND THE PRINCIPAL LATER SOUGHT AND OBTAINED A RETURN OF THE CONTRIBUTION. PURSUANT TO AN OFFER OF SETTLEMENT, THE SEC FOUND, AND THE REGISTRANT NEITHER ADMITTED NOR DENIED, THAT THE REGISTRANT VIOLATED SECTION 206(4) OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISERS ACT OF 1940 AND RULE 206(4)-5 THEREUNDER.

Sanction: Civil and Administrative Penalt(ies) /Fine(s)

How it ended: Settled

Summary: MONETARY FINE WAS PAID ON 9/19/22. No Information Filed

Resolved: Sep 15, 2022

What it owns

What Highland Capital Partners reports owning in its annual reports to the SEC: buildings, land and equipment, real estate and locations, investments, intangible assets and inventory, at the end of its latest fiscal year and a year before.

Stakes and holdings (Wikidata)

Things Wikidata records the company as owning, with the share when stated.1

The story

The company was co-founded by Paul Maeder and Bob Higgins in 1987.

Investments and investment funds

Highland is typically the first institutional investor in the companies they back.

Since its founding in 1988, the firm has raised eleven venture capital funds:

1988 — Highland Capital Partners

1992 — Highland Capital Partners II

1996 — Highland Capital Partners III

1998 — Highland Capital Partners IV

2000 — Highland Capital Partners V

Read the full text

2001 — Highland Capital Partners VI

2006 — Highland Capital Partners VII

2009 — Highland Capital Partners VIII

2013 — Highland Capital Partners 9

2018 — Highland Capital Partners 10

2020 — Highland Capital Leaders Fund

Notable investments

The company has invested some $4 billion in more than 280 companies since its founding, including 2U, Auris Health, Bromium, Clearbanc, Everlywell, Gigamon, Imprivata LevelUp, Lululemon Athletica, Malwarebytes, Qihoo 360, Quattro Wireless, Rent the Runway, Scopely, ThredUp, Turbonomic and VistaPrint.

Current and former employees

Notable members of the team include Bob Davis, the founder of Lycos; Gaurav Tewari, the founder of Omega Venture Partners, and formerly of Highland Capital Partners; and Wyc Grousbeck, owner of the Boston Celtics. In February 2005, Thomas G. Stemberg, the founder and former CEO of Staples, joined Highland.

From Wikipedia’s article on Highland Capital Partners, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Subsidiaries and ownership

Also owns

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 1988Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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