Draft:Bobby Lent (venture capitalist)
| Submission declined on 17 June 2025 by QEnigma (talk). This submission's references do not show that the subject qualifies for a Wikipedia article—that is, they do not show significant coverage (not just passing mentions) about the subject in published, reliable, secondary sources that are independent of the subject (see the guidelines on the notability of people). Before any resubmission, additional references meeting these criteria should be added (see technical help and learn about mistakes to avoid when addressing this issue). If no additional references exist, the subject is not suitable for Wikipedia. This submission reads more like an essay than an encyclopedia article. Submissions should summarise information in secondary, reliable sources and not contain opinions or original research. Please write about the topic from a neutral point of view in an encyclopedic manner.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
|  |
Comment: No WP:RS, WP:IS provided to gauge WP:N. Confused structure. Needs to be re-written to be coherent. QEnigma (talk) 10:49, 17 June 2025 (UTC)
Bobby Lent
Robert David "Bobby" Lent (born c. 1954) is an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and philanthropist. He is best known as a co-founder of Ariba, a pioneer in enterprise spend management software, and as the Managing General Partner of Hillsven Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley.
Early Life and Education
Lent was born in 1954. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of California, Berkeley, and later obtained an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Career
Ariba In 1995, Lent co-founded Ariba, Inc., where he served as Vice President of Corporate Development. Ariba became a leader in B2B e-commerce and spend management software. The company went public and was later acquired by SAP in 2012 for $4.3 billion.
Hillsven Capital Following his success with Ariba, Lent co-founded Hillsven Capital, a $40 million venture capital firm focused on seed-stage technology investments. The firm targets startups primarily in Silicon Valley and Israel, with investments in companies such as Bleacher Report, Expensify, Touch of Modern, Adify, and Livefyre.
He has served on the boards of multiple companies, including HoneyBook, Mobilize Networks, and Expensify, offering strategic guidance and support to early-stage founders.
Philanthropy
Lent is an active philanthropist, particularly within the Jewish community. Together with his wife, Fran Lent, he co-founded Kehillah Jewish High School in Palo Alto, California. Through their Levine-Lent Family Foundation, they have supported various Jewish educational and cultural initiatives.
He is a strong advocate of Jewish education and sponsored programs that allow eighth-grade students from Bay Area Jewish day schools to travel to Israel.
Personal Life
Lent is an observant Jew and engages in regular Talmud study. He divides his time between the United States and Israel and is known for integrating his professional and religious commitments.