LEXINGTON, MA – November 12, 2009 – Highland Capital Partners, a leading venture capital firm with a twenty-year history of helping great people build great companies, today announced the firm’s eighth fund, Highland Capital Partners VIII Limited Partnership. The new $400 million fund will continue to fuel the firm’s focus on early through growth stage investments in exceptional healthcare, internet & digital media and technology companies.

"We are very appreciative for the continued backing of our limited partners," said Bob Higgins, general partner at Highland. “We are pleased to raise a fund in this challenging environment that will allow us to continue to partner with the world’s best entrepreneurs and management teams in building high-growth and successful companies.”

Since its inception, Highland has focused on building early and growth stage companies into world-class leaders. During this period the firm has partnered with over 200 entrepreneurial enterprises, 90 of which have gone public or been acquired to date. Recent Highland-backed companies with valuations in excess of $1 billion include Conor Medsystems (IPO/acquired by Johnson & Johnson), lululemon athletica (Nasdaq: LULU), Starent Networks (Nasdaq: STAR) and VistaPrint (Nasdaq: VPRT).