Alain Harrus

Focus:
Alain joined Crosslink in 2006. He focuses on the firm's Energy Technologies and Computing & Semiconductor venture investing activities.

Experience:
Alain has spent more than 25 years in the semiconductor industry as a technologist, senior corporate executive and an investor in high-growth early-stage companies.

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 and later as Chief Technical Officer at Novellus Systems, now part of Lam Research (NASD: LRCX). Here 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.

Prior to joining Crosslink, Alain co-founded Compass Venture Partners and became a founding investor in Tesla Motors (NASD: TSLA). Other investments include: Applied Microstructures, Atherotech (acquired by Behrman Capital), Boxer Cross (acquired by AMAT), Luxim, NuvoMedia (acquired by Gemstar), Photodigm, RF Therapeutics (acquired by Boston Scientific), Ripfire (acquired by BEA/ORCL), SoloPower,Torrex Equipment Corp. (acquired by AMAT), and Twin Creeks Technologies.

Alain has authored and co-authored more than 30 technical papers, is a co-inventor on six patents, and frequently presents at international conferences.

Education:
BS, Mathematics and MS, Physics, University of Paris XI at Orsay, France

Ph.D., Solid State Physics, Temple University in Philadelphia

Contact Information:
aharrus@crosslinkcapital.com