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Ben Yu is Managing Partner at Sierra Ventures and has been with the firm since 2000. He is a venture capitalist with the heart of an entrepreneur, investing in DeepTech and Frontier Technologies.
Ben's track record includes three IPOs: InvenSense, later acquired by TDK, AuthenTec, acquired by Apple, and VeriSilicon. He also backed Ximalaya, acquired by Tencent Music Entertainment, and NextInput, acquired by Qorvo.
Before Sierra, Ben was a system architect at 3Com Systems. He holds a PhD in electrical engineering from Princeton and is often seen on the golf course in his free time.
Insights from Ben
What are the main things you think about when looking at a potential investment?
The most important thing I look for when evaluating investments is always the founders. Founder fit is very important to me.
Beyond that, I think about:
- Is the problem big enough and urgent enough?
- Are there many ways to solve the same problem? If so, is this the best one? Or are there better solutions out there?
- Are there milestones every 12 months or so that can validate if we are on the right track?
What is your advice for entrepreneurs?
Focus your emotional energy on things that not only matter right now but that will matter years from now. This will help you prioritize better.
What book would you recommend for entrepreneurs?
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande. It’s a great book that reminds you to keep a balanced perspective in life.
