Partners
Paul Colton - Partner
Paul assists in evaluating potential investments in startups and in advising portfolio companies on technical and business issues, including evaluating technology, software readiness, strategic partnerships, and overall business strategy.
As founder and CEO of Live Software, Paul pioneered the use of the Java language. Paul wrote numerous articles and was a contributing author to one of the first books on Java, Java Unleashed. Paul also developed custom software applications for the State of California, uBid.com, and numerous other companies. Through the writing of both publications and software products, Paul helped to bring the Java language in the spotlight.
Soon after Live Software was created, Paul developed a server-side Java product called JRun. Through initial free distribution of the product, JRun quickly became the most popular product in its category. After only 6 months of commercial availability, JRun's revenue grew to over $1 million per quarter. OEM and distribution partnerships were formed with dozens of companies including Cisco, Macromedia, Microsoft, Symantec, Inprise, IBM, and Intel. Twelve months after the commercial release of JRun, Live Software, a company of 9 employees, was acquired by Allaire Corporation, creators of the nearly ubiquitous ColdFusion and HomeSite product lines.
Paul's career began at International Research Institute, a privately held company in Virginia, specializing in software for command and control systems for the military. Using pre-release version of Mosaic (the precursor to Netscape and Internet Explorer), Paul pioneered the use of Internet and web technologies within the company. Paul left International Research Institute in 1995 to form his own company, Live Software.
Jim DeLapa - Partner
At Sanlab, Jim identifies companies that meet the investment criteria and then brings these companies in for a closer look. He plays a key role in assessing the company's team, business strategy, financial model and how well they know their customers. After Sanlab makes an investment, Jim is actively involved in helping portfolio companies with setting and being accountable for reaching meaningful milestones on a timely basis.
Prior to co-founding Sanlab Ventures, Jim was president and founder of PrimeForce, Inc. PrimeForce is a technical recruiting firm serving fast growing technology companies and Fortune 500 enterprises nationwide. PrimeForce was acquired in June 2000 by The Lucas Group, a national executive search firm.
As a board member, investor and hands-on advisor to Live Software from 1998 - 1999, Jim played a key role in the company's rampant growth and in positioning the server-side Java leader to be acquired by Allaire Corporation in June of 1999.
Jim also founded DataSel Software, Inc. and launched the "24-Karat" brand of consumer software. The 24-Karat brand was acquired in 1996.
Accent Presentations, Inc. a computer graphics service business was founded by Jim in 1988 and sold to Computer Chrome, Inc. in 1993. The business continues to operate today in San Diego, CA as Accent Presentations.
Jim served on the steering committee that formed the San Diego Software and Internet Council. He was the organization's president from 1996 - 1997 and the chairman in 1998. San Diego's Mayor Susan Golding cited Jim in a written proclamation for Outstanding Leadership and Contributions to the Software Industry for his work in this area.
From March of 1996 through December of 1997, Jim served on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Economic Development Corporation. The "EDC" is collaboration between the public and private sectors focused on attracting and retaining businesses in San Diego.