1. How has Cue Ball carved a niche for itself in the venture capital industry? Boston-based Cue Ball Group is not your typical venture capital firm. Cue Ball invests in startups that prioritize human capital over fast financial growth. Founded in 2005 by entrepreneurs Richard Harrington, Mats Lederhausen, John Hamel, and Tony Tjan, Cue Ball was founded to support companies that it believes have the potential to revolutionize their industries.

As a venture capital firm, Cue Ball provides private equity to startups. The 21 startups in its portfolio share Cue Ball’s values for human capital and long-term success. Many venture capital firms invest in a portfolio of companies for a specified period of time before buying or selling them. However, Cue Ball invests without setting a timeline because it feels that a long-term approach will pay off much more than quick profits. Thus far, this long-term view has had a positive impact on both Cue Ball’s financials and reputation. The firm has approximately $200 million in revenue and has been named one of Forbes’ best small companies in America