# Paul Ferris

> Paul Ferris is a Series A investor at Azure Capital Partners backing Health Care and Software. See 26 investments, check sizes, portfolio. Updated Aug 2026.

- Type: Angel Investor
- Fund: [Azure Capital Partners](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/azure-capital-partners)
- Location: San Francisco, United States
- Total investments: 26
- Last investment: Jan 2020
- Lead investor: 27%
- Last updated: Aug 2026
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ferris-2362b71a

Paul Ferris is a founding General Partner with Azure Capital Partners and has over 20 years experience working with high growth technology companies, with the past 14 years investing directly in communications technology, mobile, cloud applications and infrastructure, gaming and digital media related companies for Azure. During his career Paulhas helped drive over 30 very successful venture backed outcomes, both as an investor and adviser. Over the course of his career, Paul has provided strategic and investment advice to numerous leading technology companies. Notable firms include ADC Telecommunications, The Bouqs, Broadcom, Calix (IPO in 2010), Cerent (acquired by Cisco Systems), Com21 (IPO), Cyan (IPO in 2013), Efficient Networks (acquired by Siemens), Next Level Communications (IPO), New Focus (IPO), Nortel Networks, Packet Engines (acquired by Alcatel), Phanfare (acquired by Carbonite), Phone.com (IPO), Ranovus, Siara Systems (acquired by Redback Networks), Siemens and Sliderocket (acquired by VMware). Prior to founding Azure in 2000, Paul worked at several investment banks, including Credit Suisse First Boston, where he was the Global Head of the Communications Investment Banking Group, and at Deutsche Bank Securities and Morgan Stanley, where he focused on emerging technology companies. Paul received his B.A. degrees in Computer Science and English from Amherst College, where he graduated summa cum laude.

## Investment focus

### Industry

| Industry | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Health Care | 4 | 15% |
| Software | 3 | 12% |
| Telecommunications | 3 | 12% |
| Information Technology | 3 | 12% |
| Mobile | 2 | 8% |

36 industries tracked in total.

### Stage

| Stage | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Series A | 6 | 23% |
| Seed | 5 | 19% |
| Series B | 4 | 15% |
| Series C | 2 | 8% |
| Funding Round | 2 | 8% |

7 stages tracked in total.

### Country

| Country | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| United States | 10 | 38% |
| Canada | 2 | 8% |

## Investments

| Company | Description | Amount | Stage | Date | Website |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The Bouqs Company | The Bouqs Company is an online flower delivery service founded by college classmates John Tabis and Juan Pablo Montúfar that delivers flowers fresh from eco-friendly, sustainable farms around the world to doorsteps across the country. Tabis, a brand and strategy executive formerly with Disney, and Montúfar, a third-generation farmer, started TheBouqs Company in late 2012 to radically disrupt the $100B global floral industry through a modern brand, responsibly-sourced flowers and a vertically-integrated supply chain. Headquartered in Venice, CA, The Bouqs Company connects farms and a curated network of artisan florists directly to consumers, and disrupts the traditional supply chain by eliminating overhead costs like warehouses, importers, distributors, auctioneers and more. In turn, this model enables a superior product and redefines the experience and economics for both consumers and producers alike. | $30M | Series C | Jan 30, 2020 |  |
| The Bouqs Company | The Bouqs Company is an online flower delivery service founded by college classmates John Tabis and Juan Pablo Montúfar that delivers flowers fresh from eco-friendly, sustainable farms around the world to doorsteps across the country. Tabis, a brand and strategy executive formerly with Disney, and Montúfar, a third-generation farmer, started TheBouqs Company in late 2012 to radically disrupt the $100B global floral industry through a modern brand, responsibly-sourced flowers and a vertically-integrated supply chain. Headquartered in Venice, CA, The Bouqs Company connects farms and a curated network of artisan florists directly to consumers, and disrupts the traditional supply chain by eliminating overhead costs like warehouses, importers, distributors, auctioneers and more. In turn, this model enables a superior product and redefines the experience and economics for both consumers and producers alike. | $15M | Series C | May 03, 2019 |  |
| The Bouqs Company | The Bouqs Company is an online flower delivery service founded by college classmates John Tabis and Juan Pablo Montúfar that delivers flowers fresh from eco-friendly, sustainable farms around the world to doorsteps across the country. Tabis, a brand and strategy executive formerly with Disney, and Montúfar, a third-generation farmer, started TheBouqs Company in late 2012 to radically disrupt the $100B global floral industry through a modern brand, responsibly-sourced flowers and a vertically-integrated supply chain. Headquartered in Venice, CA, The Bouqs Company connects farms and a curated network of artisan florists directly to consumers, and disrupts the traditional supply chain by eliminating overhead costs like warehouses, importers, distributors, auctioneers and more. In turn, this model enables a superior product and redefines the experience and economics for both consumers and producers alike. | $24M | Series C | Jan 30, 2017 |  |
| Eight Sleep | Eight Sleep is the first sleep fitness company. It leverages innovation, technology, and personal biometrics to restore individuals to their peak energy levels each morning. Backed by leading Silicon Valley investors including Khosla Ventures and Y Combinator, it was named by Fast Company in 2018 as one of the Most Innovative Companies in ConsumerElectronics.It was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in New York, United States. | $5M | Series A | Jan 24, 2017 |  |
| Eight Sleep | Eight Sleep is a company that creates sleep technology and products. Its core product, the Pod, is a smart sleep system that dynamically adjusts temperature, elevation, and sound based on biometrics. The system also includes a health check feature that monitors heart rate and breathing without wearable devices. | $5M | Series A | Jan 24, 2017 |  |
| Merit | Merit’s Software with a Service (SwaS) transforms large-scale government programs in weeks rather than years, contributing to a 95% customer satisfaction score. Our combined approach of technology and boots-on- the-ground support simplifies life-saving emergency response and recovery, initiatives to revitalize the workforce and connect people toquality jobs, and eligibility qualification for direct-to-beneficiary programs, including multi-million-dollar education grants in over 20 states. The Merit platform provides secure access and real-time verification for licenses, credentials, and eligibility status. Merit, a proud GovTech 100 company, is venture-backed by firms such as Andreessen Horowitz, corporations including Experian, and family investors. merits.com | $4.3M | Seed | Jan 20, 2017 |  |
| Merit | Merit’s Software with a Service (SwaS) transforms large-scale government programs in weeks rather than years, contributing to a 95% customer satisfaction score. Our combined approach of technology and boots-on- the-ground support simplifies life-saving emergency response and recovery, initiatives to revitalize the workforce and connect people toquality jobs, and eligibility qualification for direct-to-beneficiary programs, including multi-million-dollar education grants in over 20 states. The Merit platform provides secure access and real-time verification for licenses, credentials, and eligibility status. Merit, a proud GovTech 100 company, is venture-backed by firms such as Andreessen Horowitz, corporations including Experian, and family investors. merits.com | $4.3M | Seed | Jan 20, 2017 |  |
| Eight Sleep | Eight Sleep is the first sleep fitness company. It leverages innovation, technology, and personal biometrics to restore individuals to their peak energy levels each morning. Backed by leading Silicon Valley investors including Khosla Ventures and Y Combinator, it was named by Fast Company in 2018 as one of the Most Innovative Companies in ConsumerElectronics.It was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in New York, United States. | $10.4M | Series A | Oct 05, 2016 |  |
| Shinesty | Shinesty is a vintage clothing brand that aims to bring an outlandish collection of clothing. The company was founded in 2014 and is based in Boulder, Colorado. | $665K | Seed | May 24, 2016 |  |
| Native | Native's aim is to create healthy and natural products that humans use every day. Our first product is Native Deodorant - a popular, USA handcrafted deodorant that is aluminum, paraben, talc, propylene glycol, and phthalate free. Aluminum is a toxin found in antiperspirants that is linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer's. Parabens mimicestrogen and disrupt your hormonal balance. Talc has been classified as a potential carcinogen. Propylene glycol is another form of antifreeze. Phthalates are found in cosmetics, but usually, plastics to increase flexibility. We never test on animals, except humans, and we are also gluten-free. Invest in yourself. |  |  | Apr 05, 2016 |  |

10 of 26 investments shown.

## Co-investors
- [KEC Ventures](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/kec-ventures) — VC Fund, 4 deals together
- [Norwest](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/norwest-venture-partners) — VC Fund, 3 deals together
- [Quest Venture Partners](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/quest-venture-partners) — VC Fund, 3 deals together
- [Yunqi Partners](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/yunqi-partners) — VC Fund, 3 deals together
- [Aliment Capital](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/aliment-capital) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [BDC Venture Capital](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/bdc-venture-capital) — VC Fund, 2 deals together

## About Azure Capital Partners

VC Fund · San Francisco, United States

Azure Capital Partners provides develops products based upon a technology that allows them to compete effectively with much larger incumbents and that enables time to market advantage It seeks to invest in the internet and information technology sector with a focus on software, media, infrastructure technologies, mobile, communications services andequipment, mobility solutions, and communications applications, web, and digital media.

5 contacts available at Azure Capital Partners.

| Name | Title | Profile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Andrea Drager | Principal | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/andrea-drager |
| Dan Park | Venture Partner | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/dan-park |
| Mike Kwatinetz | Founder & General Partner | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/mike-kwatinetz |
| Paul Ferris | Founder & General Partner | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/paul-ferris-2 |
| Paul Weinstein | Founder & General Partner | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/paul-weinstein |

## Similar investors

### Similar stage
- [Antler](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/antler-be9c) — VC Fund
- [Alumni Ventures](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/alumni-ventures-group) — VC Fund
- [General Catalyst](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/general-catalyst-partners) — VC Fund

## FAQ

### What does Paul Ferris invest in?

Paul Ferris invests primarily in Health Care, Software and Telecommunications startups, most often at Series A and Seed stage. Most of the 26 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in United States. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.

### When did Paul Ferris last invest?

The most recent investment recorded for Paul Ferris closed in Jan 2020. Shizune tracks 26 investments in total for this profile, including round sizes, stages and portfolio companies, all sourced from confirmed public funding rounds and refreshed monthly.

### Is Shizune's investor data accurate?

Yes — every stat on this profile is calculated from confirmed public funding rounds monitored across hundreds of sources since 2020. This profile was last refreshed in Aug 2026 and is updated monthly. Spotted something off? Use the “Suggest an edit” link near the top of the page.

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