Gordon Ritter is a prominent American venture capitalist and the founder/general partner of Emergence Capital Partners, which he co-founded in 2003. He specializes in enterprise SaaS and cybersecurity investments, with a focus on backing companies that enable remote work and digital transformation. Under his leadership, Emergence has invested in high-profile companies including Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Palo Alto Networks, with notable early investments in cybersecurity ventures like Nir Zuk's company. Prior to founding Emergence, Ritter began his career in investment banking at Robertson, Stephens & Company, then joined Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in 1996 where he focused on software and internet investments during the dot-com era. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Stanford University (1992) and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he actively participates in the venture ecosystem.