Suggestions
david lawee
Founder CapitalG, Xoogler, Investor and Board Member
David Lawee is a prominent venture capitalist and entrepreneur, best known as the Founder and Managing Partner of CapitalG, a growth equity investment fund that focuses on technology companies. He has held this position since January 2013 until stepping back in June 2023. Under his leadership, CapitalG has invested in a range of successful companies, leveraging Lawee's extensive experience in corporate development and marketing from his previous roles at Google.
Professional Background
- CapitalG: Founder and Managing Partner (2013 - 2023)
- Google:
- Vice President of Corporate Development (2008 - 2013)
- Vice President of Marketing (CMO) (2005 - 2008)
- Xfire: Co-Founder (2003 - 2005)
- Mosaic Venture Partners: Founder and Managing Director (1997 - 2002)
- McKinsey & Company: Engagement Manager (1995 - 1997)
Education
- University of Chicago: MBA (1993 - 1995)
- McGill University: LLB (1989 - 1993)
Skills and Interests
Lawee is fluent in French and has a notable background in both investment and corporate strategy, making him a key player in the tech investment landscape. His experience at Google has particularly shaped his understanding of technology markets and growth strategies.
Lawee's contributions extend beyond CapitalG, as he is also involved with various startups and advisory roles within the tech industry, reflecting his commitment to fostering innovation.
Highlights
A really thought provoking article from Lorna Borenstein .
Stepping Back From CapitalG
I founded CapitalG 10 years ago with the hopes of bringing a bit of Google’s magic to growth equity investing. Larry and Sergey were incredibly supportive and the business has worked even better than expected. We built a strong partnership, hired a great team and have invested over $4B into 55 remarkable companies, such as Airbnb, CrowdStrike, Databricks, Credit Karma, Duolingo, Lyft, Freshworks, Stripe, UiPath, and Zscaler. Most importantly we have developed authentic, collaborative relationships with some of the most consequential founders and built a reputation for bringing the most hands-on operational value of any growth stage fund in tech today. It has been an incredibly exciting journey and I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished.
Today, I am sharing the news that I will be stepping back from CapitalG later this year. After over 10 years at CapitalG and 17 years at Alphabet, the time is right for me to explore new areas of personal interest and spend more time with my family.
I am excited to share that Laela Sturdy will be succeeding me as Managing Partner of the firm. Laela joined CapitalG in 2013 and has led some of our most consequential investments including Stripe, UiPath, Duolingo, Webflow and Whatnot, while playing a leading role building the firm. Our broader partnership has never been stronger and I look forward to seeing how the team builds on our success over the next decade.
The past 17 years at Alphabet have been a whirlwind. I became Google’s CMO in 2006, the same year we became the world’s number 1 consumer brand. As Google’s VP of Corporate Development, I led over 100 acquisitions for the company in a span of 5 years. It's been a frenetic and exciting time where I have had the luxury of working with some of the most thoughtful, creative and inspiring people in the world.
I am eager to explore what comes next. After over 17 years I have a huge backlog of interests and passions that I will finally have the time to fully dive into. With that said, goodbyes have always been hard for me. I will deeply miss the CapitalG team. You have inspired me with your commitment to excellence, your entrepreneurial drive and the care with which you treat each other.
Finally I want to thank my many friends and colleagues across Alphabet who have made this time in my life and career so special. I especially want to thank Sundar, Ruth, Larry, Sergey, and Eric for your faith and support all along the way. It has been the opportunity of a lifetime to work with you.
David
