Neil’s Blog

50th reunion at Harvard Business School Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, July 26, 2026 Barbara Bry with her husband, Neil Senturia, at her 50th reunion at Harvard Business School. Bry was one of 106 women who graduated in 1976, almost 15% of the class that year. Fifty-two years ago this September, I drove my […]

Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, July 20, 2026 by Neil Senturia The process of picking/hiring is really difficult, but here’s how one firm does it Let’s talk about hiring. Or getting hired. As I look back on 50 years of deal-making, besides factoring in vast quantities of luck that I had no right to […]

Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, July 13, 2026 by Neil Senturia An old friend, whom I once helped significantly, asks if I will meet with him and a “Chinese billionaire.” They want to build something big and important involving batteries. I know nothing about batteries, other than when my flashlight stops working. Five people […]

Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, July 6, 2026 by Neil Senturia Here is a puzzle. The founder identifies a win-win, a partnership that will obviously benefit both sides. He prepares a logical presentation, calling out all the synergies as well as the shared risks. He organizes the pitch and gets a warm introduction to […]

Wisdom from the trenches and what to avoid if you’re a startup looking for funding Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, June 29, 2026 by Neil Senturia While Pauline waits for the train, I will share with you some cogent thinking from a famous angel investor, who came to visit me and who has requested […]

But do we have a deal? We await the next call. Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, June 22, 2026 by Neil Senturia The last time we visited Pauline, she was tied tight on the tracks, the train now bearing down on her. OK, readers, many of you have been to the Saturday morning serials […]