Richard Fade

Richard Fade is a Partner at Ignition Partners, a venture capital firm based in Bellevue, Washington, focusing on early-stage investments in infrastructure software, including virtualization, cloud, and services. With over 35 years of experience in operational, business development, and investment roles, he has been instrumental in backing companies that have become leaders in their respective fields. His prior investments include Appature, Azaleos, GotVoice, InstallFree, Likewise, StorSimple, Verity Solutions, and WHIPTAIL. He currently serves on the boards of Onehub and Talyst and is involved with several early-stage technology companies in the Northwest.

Before joining Ignition Partners, Mr. Fade spent 16 years at Microsoft Corporation, holding various leadership positions, including serving on Microsoft's Executive Staff as a division-level vice president. His roles encompassed Senior Vice President of the OEM division, Vice President of Desktop and Consumer Applications, Vice President of the Internet Business Unit, and Vice President of the Far East Region, overseeing product development, sales, and marketing in Japan, China, and Korea. He led teams that produced the first successful Asian language versions of Microsoft Windows and Office applications.

Mr. Fade has also been active in philanthropic endeavors, co-founding the Autism Center at the University of Washington and serving on its board. He has been involved with several non-profit boards and independent schools, including Whitman College. His extensive experience in both the corporate and venture capital sectors has equipped him with a deep understanding of the technology landscape, enabling him to identify and support emerging companies poised for success.