NEW YORK, June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, global software investor Insight Partners announced the establishment of its Government Advisory Board, a group of government and defense leaders whose combined expertise will provide a valuable, actionable network for Insight's portfolio of software startup and ScaleUp companies. With a 25+ year legacy of investing in software, Insight Partners already has a long history of investing in government across federal, defense, state, and local sectors (including K12). The Government Advisory Board will advise Insight Partners about important public sector investment opportunities and risks, and bring their deep experience to the broad set of portfolio companies that are working with government customers.

The government, across all sectors, needs the next generation of great software companies to better serve constituents, modernize government, and deliver services more effectively and securely. With investments in companies from all corners of the globe, Insight has always maintained a belief that great software companies can originate from anywhere, and with the right strategic partner, expand rapidly into new markets. The Government Advisory Board allows Insight to bring the perspectives of former government leaders to provide strategic counsel to portfolio companies—so they can be better equipped to support government agencies across a range of important missions.

Insight Partners' Government Advisory Board is made up of preeminent leaders with many decades of experience in the U.S. government, including:

• Secretary Ash Carter, the 25^th United States Secretary of Defense, and Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
• Honorable Sue Gordon, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, former Deputy Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and career Central Intelligence Agency official.
• Lieutenant General (ret.) Jack Shanahan, former Director of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC), and first Director of the Algorithmic Warfare Cross- Functional Team (Project Maven).
• Essye Miller, former Principal Deputy Chief Information Officer and CISO of the U.S. Department of Defense.
• Honorable Dr. Will Roper, former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, and founding Director of the Pentagon's Strategic Capabilities Office.
• Nicole Wong, former Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer in the Obama Administration, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Google, Twitter's Legal Director for Products, and inaugural member of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Advisory Committee.
• General (ret.) Joe Votel, former Commander of Central Command (CENTCOM) and Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and President and CEO of Business Executives for National Security (BENS).

"We're honored to launch a Government Advisory Board of leaders who bring a diverse set of experiences across government and administrations at the most senior levels. They are passionate about supporting entrepreneurs and believe commercial software is key to modernizing government in its important missions," said Richard Wells, Managing Director at Insight Partners. "Insight believes there is significantly more opportunity to invest in the software solutions transforming the government sector, and the Government Advisory Board has the opportunity to shape and strengthen our success as we continue to scale up in government and defense."

"The ability of the United States government to deliver on its important missions—from national defense to Veterans health care to local K12 education—increasingly rests on government agencies being able to find, try, and use great commercial software," said Secretary Ash Carter.  "That's why I rebuilt the Defense Department's links closer to the proverbial Silicon Valley when I was Secretary of Defense—via the creation of the Defense Innovation Unit, Defense Digital Services, and the Defense Innovation Board—and why I'm so dedicated to working with Insight Partners and their portfolio of leading software companies."

"I'm enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with these accomplished, inspiring colleagues at Insight Partners to help companies advance their capabilities and the government achieve its aims," said Sue Gordon. 

"After my experiences running two AI 'startups' in the Department of Defense, I am honored to join my esteemed colleagues on Insight Partners' government advisory board," said Lt General (ret.) Jack Shanahan.  "We are excited by the opportunity to work closely with Insight Partners in their quest to find the country's best technology companies and help solve the government's most pressing challenges."

"Insight Partners is very thoughtful and deliberate in identifying companies with innovative solutions and helping them scale to meet the critical needs of our nation and the world.  I am excited to partner with the other amazing Government Advisory Board members to support Insight," said Essye Miller.

"Digital technology is driving the world at an accelerated rate. Yet the U.S. government keeps falling further behind. I'm very excited to work with Insight Partners' to navigate challenges of working with the government at software speeds," said Will Roper.

"Government—as a customer, funder, and regulator—needs to be working with the best software companies, to promote economic growth, fairness, and innovation," said Nicole Wong.  "I'm delighted to join the Insight Partners Government Advisory Board, and am excited to work with the team at Insight and the word-class entrepreneurs they support."

"I am really excited to work with Insight Partners as they try to help these highly innovative companies that are so important to helping the US maintain its competitive edge," said General (ret.) Joe Votel. 

About Insight Partners

Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of February 24, 2022, the closing of the firm's recent fundraise, Fund XII, brings Insight Partners' regulatory assets under management to over $90B. Insight Partners has invested in more than 600 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has offices in London, Tel Aviv, and Palo Alto. Insight's mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with practical, hands-on software expertise to foster long-term success. Insight Partners supports great software leaders at all stages of their growth journey, from first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on Twitter @insightpartners

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SOURCE Insight Partners