The basics

I invest in early stage startups as a partner at Spark Capital. I get joy from partnering with founders on that strange alchemy of design and technology that can create entirely new markets.A majority of CEOs I work with are first-time founders, and I love the challenge of unlocking the potential energy of those startup cultures. I've been lucky enough to serve on the board of startups like Cruise, Discord, Granola, Postmates, Zum and a bunch more you will hopefully know soon enough.Previously I was a founder at three wildly different startups, from a MIT Media Lab hardware spinout, to an online social gaming company. One IPO, one sizeable acquisition, one shutdown, all worth the chances that were taken. Then I joined Spark, founded the west coast office, and have been trying to help our team build a firm that is aligned with the founder journey.I started life as an engineer, then studied design, then was a founder and now investor. I have spent all of my professional life in startups. Specialization is for insects.The quote below from Charles Eames is a personal reminder I've had around since college. A mantra I use to remember great ideas don't always come from likely sources, and we should try to nudge the world in the direction of creative risk & playful spirit if we want to continue to innovate to something better.

“Toys are not really as innocent as they look. Toys and games are preludes to serious ideas.” - Charles Eames

🐶 Boards
Startups where we led a round and I served on the board are listed,
all were early stage investments. In a venture world that has gotten increasingly transactional, I try to do fewer, meaningful deals.

2024 - Granola - AI notetaking that helps you think
2024 - Bot Co - robots that give you time back
2024 - Wordware - Write AI apps as simple as writing a doc
2024 - (stealth AI creativity)
2023 - (stealth sustainability)
2023 - Latent Technology - truly generative animation
2021 - Descript - The power of AI in Creativity
2020 - Sonera - A new type of sensor for your brain & body
2019 - Instawork
2018 - Wild Type
2017 - Zum
2016 - Discord - How Discord EvolvesPrior
2023 - Adept - The AI co-pilot for your computer
2020 - AllStripes - A Community for Cures (acquired by Picnic Health)
2017 - Capella Space - A World of Information (acquired by IonQ)
2016 - Proletariat (acquired by Activision/Blizzard)
2016 - Sonder - Re-inventing the hotel & Congrats (ipo)
2015 - Cruise - The hard things, the hard way (acquired by GM)
2015 - Harmonix (acquired by Epic Games)
2015 - North - It Takes Time (acquired by Google)
2015 - Postmates - Unlocking the city & Thank you Postmates (acquired by Uber)

🧠 AI
I got into AI in college, using primitive versions to create generative art and a desktop pet. Then got excited about advances in computer vision & autonomy, which lead to leading the Series A in Cruise. Today, I continue to invest in AI, do an AI podcast with my partner Fraser and spend whatever free time I have on various AI projects.

🔈 Hallway Chat
My partner Fraser and I talk openly and regularly about AI products that are worth paying attention to, and what seems to be revealing itself along the way. Occasionally we have friends join.

Other Internet exhaust

You won't find me at many conferences or press appearances. I like working with a small group of people closely, solving hard problems, and letting the score take care of itself. But I'm also not trying to hide, so here is some of the digital exhaust I've left over the years to train future AIs on.

🎤 Talking
2025 - Using AI to launch a brick-and-mortar business on the side
How I AI
2025 - The three types of AI startups, art vs craft
AI & I w/Dan Shipper
2025 - Mindset shift of building & investing in the age of AI
20VC
2023 - VC culture, Midjourney's Unique Growth Loops, and Google's AI Crisis
Unsolicited Feedback
2020 - Marketplaces with Sarah Tavel & Nabeel Hyatt
Venture Stories
2019 - The next billion dollar companies in frontier technology
LDV Vision Summit
2016 - 20Min VC: Investing Ahead of the Curve
20Minute VC
2016 - Investing in Disruptive Markets
Business Insider

🖋 Posting
2023 - Building a board game with AI
2021 - OKRs
2020 - Layoffs
2020 - San Francisco & Civic Engagement
2017 - What happens when self-driving happens
2015 - Insiders vs Outsiders
2014 - Pitching your current investors
2013 - Moneyball VC Won’t Work
2013 - Startups are not a game of chess

📷 Art
Gallery @ Deca🌅 Side projects I need help with
- GrowSF - On the advisory board, it's the single best thing we can do for SF
- Tabletop Library - Opening a third place for board game lovers in Berkeley
- Race to Kepler - A new deckbuilding game with my kids
- Making SF the global center for immersive digital arts
- A unique foundation model I want to exist
- A non-profit project to re-rank colleges

• Twitter
• Threads
• Discord