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Robert E. Siegel

Robert Eric Siegel
Lecturer, Organizational Behavior
Contact Info
RobertE.Siegel
Lecturer in Management
Academic Area: 
Organizational Behavior

Research Statement

Robert Siegel researches strategy and innovation in technology-based companies. Additionally, Robert explores the founding, growth and exit issues around startups and new ventures, as well as product management and product development best practices and methods.

Research Interests

  • Entrepreneurship
  • Venture capital
  • Strategy
  • Technology
  • Innovation
  • Startups
  • Product management

Bio

Robert Siegel is a Lecturer in Management where he has led primary research and written cases on Google, Box, AngelList, SurveyMonkey, Medium, Wikimedia Foundation, Zuora, Minted, 500 Startups, TrueCar, PayPal, Axel Springer, General Electric and Starbucks (La Boulange) amongst others. 

He is also a General Partner at XSeed Capital, and his investment areas include mobile and enterprise software, business operations where computational technology helps automate/improve company performance, and computing platforms that shape both business and consumer behaviors.

He sits on the Board of Cape Productions and he led XSeed’s investments in Zooz, Chatous, Lex Machina (acquired by LexisNexis of the RELX Group – NYSE: RELX), CirroSecure (acquired by Palo Alto Networks – NYSE: PANW), Dispatcher, Breezeworks, The League, Teapot, Smart Coffee Technology, Neon, Pixlee, Caller Zen, ZipLine Medical and SIPX (acquired by ProdQuest), and also supports portfolio companies such as Citrine Informatics.

Robert is the Co-President Emeritus of Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs, an alumni association that fosters relationships to strengthen the Stanford startup community. He is on the Board of SmartDrive Systems and is the Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Board for TTTech in Vienna, Austria. Robert has co-authored several articles for California Management Review, is a Wall Street Journal Startup Guru, and is a frequent contributor to TechCrunch, VentureBeat and Forbes.

Prior to joining XSeed, Robert was General Manager of the Video and Software Solutions division for GE Security, with annual revenues of $350 million. Robert was also Executive Vice President of Pixim, Inc., a fabless semiconductor firm specializing in image sensors and processors (acquired by Sony). Before Pixim, Robert was Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Weave Innovations Inc. (acquired by Kodak), a network services developer that invented the world’s first digital picture frame, and delivered photos and other digital media to PCs and internet / mobile devices.

Robert served in various management roles at Intel Corporation, including an executive position in their Corporate Business Development division, in which he invested capital in startups that were strategically aligned with Intel’s vision. Previous to Intel, Robert was promoted to a series of senior sales and marketing positions at GeoWorks, which went public in 1993.

Robert holds a BA from UC Berkeley, an MBA from Stanford University, is the co-inventor of four patents and served as lead researcher for Andy Grove’s book, Only the Paranoid Survive.

Academic Degrees

  • MBA, Stanford GSB, 1994
  • BA, University of California, Berkeley, 1989

Academic Appointments

  • Lecturer, Stanford GSB, 2011-present

Professional Experience

  • General Partner, XSeed Capital, 2008-Current
  • General Manager, Video Software and Solutions, GE Security, 2004-2007
  • Executive Vice President, Pixim, Inc., 2001-2004
  • CEO and Co-Founder, Weave Innovations, Inc., 1998-2001
  • Senior Manager, Desktop Products Group and Corporate Business Development, Intel Corporation, 1994-1998
  • Manager, International Sales and Marketing, GeoWorks, 1986-1992

Publications

Journal Articles

Robert A. Burgelman, Robert E. Siegel. California Management Review. University of California Press, 2008, Vol. 50, Issue 3, Pages 140-167.
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert E. Siegel. California Management Review. 2007, Vol. 49, Issue 3, Pages 6-26.

Courses Taught

Degree Courses

2015-16

This is a course about the financial decision-making process largely from the point of view of the CEO of an entrepreneurial venture, ranging from very early to very late stages. The course takes a two-pronged approach: First, we develop tools...

This course is offered for students who at some time may want to undertake an entrepreneurial career by pursuing opportunities leading to partial or full ownership and control of a business. The course deals with case situations from the point of...

This course focuses on the strategic management of technology-based innovation in the firm. The purpose is to provide students with concepts, frameworks, and experiences that are useful for taking part in the management of innovation processes in...

This course explores how digital disruptions are having tectonic shifts on large, successful and established companies, whether they have a digital foundation or not. Both new and existing high technology firms such as Google, Amazon, Uber,...

2014-15

This is a course about the financial decision-making process for start-up firms. The course takes a two-pronged approach: First, we develop tools and concepts of corporate finance related to modeling, valuation, control, and investment decisions...

In recent years, the study of innovation has been dominated by a school of thought that advocates starting with the customer¿discovering solutions being sought by customers and designing for these solutions. Stated differently, the thrust with...

This course is offered for students who at some time may want to undertake an entrepreneurial career by pursuing opportunities leading to partial or full ownership and control of a business. The course deals with case situations from the point of...

This course focuses on the strategic management of technology-based innovation in the firm. The purpose is to provide students with concepts, frameworks, and experiences that are useful for taking part in the management of innovation processes in...

Stanford Case Studies

Box in 2015 (B): Entering the Next Phase | SM215B
Robert Siegel, Robert Burgelman, Shalie Gaskill2015
CircleUp | E562
Robert Siegel, Yin Li2015
CODE2040: Changing the Game | E573
Robert Siegel, Jackie Bello2015
Google and Android in 2015 (C): Looking Towards the Future | SM176C
Robert Siegel, Robert Burgelman, Michael Seltzer2015
Medium in 2015: A New Form of Networked Publishing | SM247
Robert Siegel, Robert Burgelman, Tim Hsia2015
Nebula: The Fall of a Company | E574
Robert Siegel, Mark Leslie, Matthew Saucedo2015
PayPal in 2015: Reshaping the Financial Services Landscape | E572
Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Henry Lippincott2015
Tim Harkness: Starting Over | E564
Robert Siegel, Jessica Morgan2015
Virsto (A) | E571A
Robert Siegel, Sara Rosenthal2015
Virsto (B) | E571B
Robert Siegel, Sara Rosenthal2015
Wikimedia Foundation in 2015: Changing How Humans Share Knowledge | SM245
Robert Siegel, Robert Burgelman, Arla Xhaxho2015
500 Startups: Scaling Early-Stage Investing | E528
Robert Siegel, Yin Li2014
AngelList: Changing The Landscape of Investing | E520
Robert Siegel, Yin Li2014
Axel Springer in 2014: Strategic Leadership of the Digital Media Transformation | E522
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert E. Siegel, Jason Luther2014
Invitrogen/Life Technologies (C): The Best Owner of the Asset | SM209C
Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Rosy Lee2014
Minted in 2014: Scaling and Scoping a Crowdsourcing Design Business | E530
Robert Siegel, Robet Burgelman, Sylvia Kuyel2014
SurveyMonkey in 2014 | E524
Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Sara Rosenthal2014
TrueCar: Transforming the Car Buying Experience | E527
Robert Siegel, Yin Li2014
Box: Building the Next Generation Enterprise Software Company | SM215
Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Shalie Gaskill2013
First Solar, Inc. in 2013 | SM190B
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert Eric Siegel, Morgan Hallmon2013
Google’s Android in 2013 An Increasingly Dynamic Landscape | SM176B
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert Eric Siegel, Ibrahim Elbouchikhi, Jonathan Karmel, Alan Chiu2013
La Boulange Exiting to a Large Statetgic Buyer (A) | E478A
Robert Siegel, Austin Kiessig2013
La Boulange Exiting to a Large Strategic Buyer (B) | E478B
Robert Siegel, Austin Kiessig2013
TTTech (C) 2013 Hitting the Gas Pedal | SM185C
Robert Siegel2013
Zuora in 2013 | SM182B
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert Eric Siegel, Maalika Manoharan2013
Flibe Energy: Pursuing a Safe, Affordable, and Sustainable Energy Future | SM208
Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Scott Nolan2012
Invitrogen (A) | SM209A
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert E. Siegel, Rosy Lee2012
Invitrogen/Life Technologies (B) | SM209B
Robert A Burgelman, Robert E Siegel, Rosy Lee2012
Waste Management's Organic Growth Group | SM210
Robert A Burgelman, Robert E Siegel, Tomas Uribe2012
First Solar, Inc. in 2010 | SM190
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert Eric Siegel, Morgan Hallmon2010
TTTech (A) Seeking Growth and Scale in New and Existing Markets | SM185A
Robert Burgelman, Lyn Denend, Robert Siegel2010
TTTech (B): The Path Forward | SM185B
Robert Burgelman, Lyn Denend, Robert Siegel2010
GE Security: Seeking Growth in Video Solutions Amidst GE's Transformation | SM148
Robert Burgelman, Lyn Denend, Robert Siegel2006
Matrix Semiconductor Inc. (B) Transitioning from Innovation to Execution | SM126B
Robert Burgelman, Lyn Denend, Robert Siegel2005
StubHub (A), January 2004 | SM132A
Adam Block, Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel2005
StubHub (B), Taking Hold of Product Strategy | SM132B
Adam Block, Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel2005
Matrix Semiconductor Inc: Tackling Challenges of Strategic Dimensions | SM126A
Robert Burgelman, Lyn Denend, Robert Siegel2004

Teaching Materials

  • AngelList: Changing the Landscape of Investing
    This video of of the AngelList class session includes COO Kevin Laws and VP of Fundraising Products Ash Fontana sharing how AngelList was created to help entrepreneurs recruit talent, get startup advice, and connect with potential investors online. Laws and Fontana were guest speakers in Siegel's Entrepreneurship: Formation of New Ventures class on October 21, 2014. Topics covered include: • Identifying product/market fit in platform businesses. • Understanding the different players within the angel/venture capital ecosystem. • Explaining why investors often have incentives to interact with entrepreneurs using traditional modes of communication, in order to protect their access to top startups, limiting trackable activities and outcomes on AngelList. • Evaluating AngelList as an option for entrepreneurs seeking early stage financing.
  • Dave McClure: 500 Startups
    This full class video is of the 500 Startups case with Dave McClure appearing as a guest speaker in Siegel's Entrepreneurship: Formation of New Ventures class on October 23, 2014. McClure reveals the investment strategy that's made him one of Silicon Valley's most recognizable, and controversial, venture capitalists. Topics discussed include: • Why McClure believes the traditional venture capital industry is ripe for disruption. • How betting on the underdog can pay off. • Why it's important to leave the Silicon Valley bubble to find innovative new business ideas. • How chasing elusive "unicorns" and "thunder lizards" can lead to bad investment decisions. • How an entrepreneur’s personality can help or hinder achieving their vision.

Stanford University Affiliations

Stanford GSB

  • Faculty, Center for Entrepreneurial Studies

Insights by Stanford Business

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School News

February 8, 2016
More than 150 unique elective courses offered this year; Offerings continually refreshed with new perspectives, lecturers and ideas.