Gardner Hendrie joined Sigma + Partners, a venture capital firm, in 1985, following a 25 year career in the computer systems business. At Sigma he has been responsible for investments in Argon Networks, Atria Software, Cascade Communications, Chipcom, Epoch Systems, EqualLogic (with another partner), GeoTel Communications, Synernetics, Wellfleet Communications and Xyplex, among others.
In 1980, he was one of the three founders of Stratus Computer, Inc., where he led hardware development for the first commercial fault-tolerant computer system that did not rely on complex software for fault detection and recovery. Prior to founding Stratus, he was with Data General Corporation, where he designed the microNova, the first commercial single chip, 16-bit microprocessor-based minicomputer. He was also responsible for hardware engineering relating to all small and intermediate processors, communications subsystems, digital/analog input/output subsystems, terminals, memories and power supplies.
Earlier in his career, he worked at Computer Control Company, and after it was acquired, at Honeywell, Inc. While at Computer Control, he was responsible for the conception and design of the world's first 16-bit minicomputer, the DDP 116. His responsibilities included engineering as well as product management for the minicomputer product line. Hendrie has also held engineering, advanced development and product planning positions at Foxboro Corporation and RCA.
