Hyperloop One co-founder and early Uber investor Shervin Pishevar has announced his resignation from Sherpa Capital, the venture capital firm he co-founded, following sexual misconduct allegations. “I have decided on my own accord to end my association with Sherpa Capital, effective immediately,” Pishevar tweeted, as part of a lengthy statement.
“I have only admiration and affection for the people of Sherpa Capital, including my co-founder Scott Stanford. I’m proud of the work we’ve done to advance great ideas and support great founders since co-founding Sherpa Capital five years ago.
Unfortunately, it is no surprise that the untruthful attacks by those seeking to harm me and my family, including those willing to go so far as fabricating police reports, have continued unabated even after I announced my leave of absence from Sherpa. My truculent opponents are out to settle scores that have nothing to do with Sherpa, and I refuse to allow my enemies to drag my Sherpa family into their fight with me.
That is why I have decided on my own accord to end my association with Sherpa Capital, effective immediately. I plan to focus now on the appropriate ongoing legal actions against those who are unjustly orchestrating the smear campaign against me. I know the great team at Sherpa Capital will continue to rise and scale new heights.
For my part, I continue to follow the wisdom of one of my favorite poems, “If”, by Rudyard Kipling: “If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; . . . Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating…”
Pishevar had recently taken a leave of absence at Sherpa. He also stepped down from the board at Hyperloop One. He’s one of many high-profile executives to leave their jobs recently, amid a cultural shift where more victims are coming forward alleging sexual harassment. Other recent departures in the venture capital industry include Justin Caldbeck from Binary Capital and Dave McClure from 500 Startups.
In Pishevar’s case, he seemingly attempted to pre-empt the allegations, by filing a lawsuit. The lawsuit accused a GOP research firm, Definers, of spreading the rumors, which the group denies.
