The early-stage venture capital firm Stormbreaker Ventures has announced two strategic partnerships with Mi Capital and Thermo Companies. These prominent companies have selected Stormbreaker out of multiple firms to invest in, recognizing its potential to fuel innovation in the dynamic mobility and wireless ecosystem sector.
Stormbreaker Ventures and Glenn Lurie
Stormbreaker is advancing innovation for the connected ecosystem, which includes mobility and wireless technologies, consumer and industrial IoT, networking, cloud and edge computing, cybersecurity, private networks, SIM technology, and supporting AI and ML applications. With over 150 years of aggregate experience, the firm’s expert investors and ex-operators:
- Have made over a dozen unicorn investments.
- Manage over 40 active portfolio companies.
- Have secured over $500 million in capital from top-tier venture funds
Said Mia, the firm’s founder and Managing Partner, highlights the critical need for pioneering solutions in the connected ecosystem. The firm has built a team that can propel the industry forward, most recently adding seasoned technology and telecommunications expert Glenn Lurie as a partner in 2021.
Lurie has led a distinguished career as the former president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Operations. He also served as CEO and president of Synchronoss Technologies. Throughout his career, he has enabled numerous start-ups to scale while cultivating productive workplace cultures.
Stormbreaker’s New Investors: Thermo Companies and Mi Capital
Stormbreaker’s strategic partner Thermo Companies has built its reputation as a leader in mobility, real estate, energy, and infrastructure. The company has demonstrated high-level expertise in cutting-edge technologies, telecom infrastructure, and wireless spectrum. To advance their excellent reputation, Thermo has deviated from their usual investment strategy to collaborate with Stormbreaker, the only venture capital firm they’ve partnered with to date.
The second strategic investor, Mi Capital, is the investment arm of Michels Corporation, the leading energy and infrastructure contractor in North America. Mi Capital benefits from Stormbreaker’s unparalleled expertise in selecting and supporting investments, particularly in the mobile connectivity arena.
According to Mi Capital’s Rob Haugen, Stormbreaker has already proven a successful steward of capital.
What To Expect From Venture Capital in 2024
Stormbreaker anticipates a downturn in U.S. venture capital investments in 2024. Ernst & Young Global Ltd (EY) has confirmed this prediction. That said, as a specialist fund, Lurie and the firm’s other partners foresee exciting potential for early-stage investments in mobility, wireless, and connected ecosystem technologies.
Lurie anticipates opportunities emerging from:
- The Internet of Things (IoT).
- Fifth-generation wireless (5G).
- Fixed wireless access (FWA).
- Artificial intelligence (AI).
- Machine learning (ML).
- Cloud technologies.
He encourages investors to leverage this “golden opportunity” to invest in the latest mobility and wireless offerings.
About Multi-time President and CEO Glenn Lurie
Following a stint as a professional soccer player, Lurie transitioned into the mobile technology space by joining McCaw Cellular in the 1990s. He soon exceeded his sales goals and went on to play an essential role in securing AT&T’s agreement with Apple to launch the inaugural iPhone. This agreement opened the door to a ground-breaking milestone in the history of smartphone technology.
Since then, Lurie has held multiple influential roles with AT&T. Most notably, he served as the president of the company’s Emerging Devices Organization (now the Internet of Things Organization) and Emerging Enterprises and Partnerships Organization.
He also served as the president and CEO of AT&T’s Mobility and Consumer Operations. In this position, Lurie managed the division’s activities, from operations and sales to customer care and digital initiatives. Lurie also led Synchronoss Technologies as its CEO and president.
Still active in the technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) sector, Lurie holds board positions at Avis Budget Group, Teal Communications, Pivotal Commware, and Blue Link Wireless. In his capacity at Stormbreaker Ventures, he extends his support and guidance to up-and-coming innovators in the mobility industry.
Find out more about Glenn Lurie.
