Ira Ehrenpreis

Ira Ehrenpreis is Founder and Managing Partner of DBL Partners, a leading impact investing venture capital firm, currently managing more than $1 billion of capital. DBL invests in companies that can deliver top-tier financial returns, while simultaneously driving social or environmental change.

Ira is a recognized leader in the venture capital industry, having served on the Board, Executive Committee, and as Annual Meeting Chairman of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). He currently serves as the President of the Western Association of Venture Capitalists (WAVC) and as the Chairman of the VCNetwork, the largest and most active California venture capital organization.

Ira was awarded the 2018 NACD Directorship 100 for being “one of the most influential leaders in the boardroom and corporate governance community.” In 2007, he was named one of the “Top 50 Most Influential Men Under 45" and in 2014 was inducted into the International Green Industry Hall of Fame.

Ira has served for several years as the Chairman of the Silicon Valley Technology Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum (SVIEF). He is the Founder and Chairman of one of the most prominent annual energy innovation industry events, the World Energy Innovation Forum (WEIF), which has convened the who's-who in the industry to discuss the important energy issues and opportunities of our time. In addition, Ira has served on several industry Boards, including the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Advisory Committee (ERAC), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Advisory Council, the Clean-Tech Investor Summit (Chairman), the Renewable Energy Finance Forum (REFF) West (Co-Chairman), the Renewable Energy Finance Forum (REFF) Wall Street (Co-Chairman), the Cleantech Venture Network (Past Chairman of Advisory Board), and ACORE (American Council on Renewable Energy).

Ira has served as the Chairman of the Silicon Valley Technology Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum (SVIEF) for many years. He is also an active leader at Stanford University, where he has served on the Board of Visitors of Stanford Law School and is currently an advisory board member of the Stanford Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP) and the Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy (PIE) Advisory Council. Ira has also been a guest lecturer, including helping to teach a course on Venture Capital. In addition, Ira served for many years on the Advisory Board of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE).

Ira received his JD/MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and Stanford Law School, where he was an Associate Editor of Stanford Law Review. He holds a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude.