Investment Focus

• Energy Efficiency
• Storage and Management
• Solid State Lighting
• Solar, Water, Displays
• Semiconductor and Materials Technologies

Past Investments

• Element Labs (acquired by Barco)

Experience

Dr. Walker spent 10 years conducting high energy physics research, including several years living in Japan. He is an author of the paper announcing the discovery of the "Top" quark, one of the fundamental particles of nature. He went on to a variety of sales and marketing positions at EMCORE Corporation, a leading provider of MOCVD equipment to the compound semiconductor industry, where he ramped sales in the Pacific Rim from $4M to >$100M during his 8 year tenure. From 2001-2004 he was Managing Director-USA of Vincera Ventures, a US$150M venture capital fund based in Taiwan. In 2003 Dr. Walker founded YEBY Associates, a Silicon Valley-based consultancy specializing in the Solid State Lighting industry, where he served as a Senior Advisor to the Chinese government, and worked in a variety of roles in the solid-state lighting industry, with a heavy emphasis on trans-Pacific transactions. He was CEO of BridgeLux, a venture-backed high power LED lighting company, from 2005-2007. He joined Sierra in the fall of 2007.

Education & Background

Born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, Robert received a triple major in math, physics and computer engineering from the UW-Madison in 1984. He speaks Japanese, along with some Chinese and Thai, has traveled extensively throughout the Pacific Rim region, and has been involved with the solid state lighting industry in Taiwan, Korea and China since its inception. He currently serves as a catalyst for the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

Speaking Engagements

June 2010 Panel Chair & Organizing Committee, OIDA Green Photonics, Santa Clara
June 2010 Panelist, Lazard Alternative Energy Summit, New York
May 2010 Panelist, TiECon, SSL Panel, Santa Clara
February 2010 Panel Chair, SIL 2010, Venture Forum, Santa Clara, CA