Jeffrey Housenbold, formerly a managing partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers (SBIA), the fund management arm of telecommunications and internet group SoftBank, has joined US-based home improvement service Leaf Home.
Founded in 2019, Leaf Home provides direct-to-consumer home safety and enhancement products including gutter guards and accessibility equipment such as stairlifts, as well as water filtration systems. It has appointed Housenbold president and CEO, and he will help the company’s leadership team support its growth plans.
Housenbold had joined SBIA in 2017 and helped launch and manage the unit’s investment activities through its SoftBank Vision Funds 1 and 2. He ranked fifth on Global Corporate Venturing’s Rising Stars roster in 2019.
Investments led by Housenbold on behalf of the Vision Funds included food ordering service DoorDash, property transaction management service OpenDoor, logistics platform operator Rappi and Memphis Meats, which is developing cellular meat.
After departing from his managing partner role at SBIA in July this year, Housenbold remains a senior adviser to its CEO, Rajeev Misra, and chairman Ron Fisher, providing advice on deal flow and board representation initiatives.
Housenbold then founded early and mid-stage growth equity vehicle Honor Ventures in August this year. It is raising between $500m and $600m, with SoftBank Vision Fund 2 reportedly investing $100m.
Photo of Jeffrey Housenbold courtesy of Leaf Home, LLC.
