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Ben Yu
Senior Credit Officer @ SVB
Ben Yu is a Managing Partner at Sierra Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments in emerging technologies. He has been with the firm since 2000, bringing over two decades of experience in venture capital and a background as an engineer and inventor. Yu holds a PhD in electrical engineering from Princeton University and initially pursued an entrepreneurial path, co-founding an optical transceiver company before transitioning into venture capital.123
At Sierra Ventures, he focuses on investments in deep tech, AI, robotics, and blockchain technologies. His investment philosophy emphasizes the importance of the founding team, the urgency of the problem being solved, and the potential for significant milestones to validate progress. Yu has been involved in backing various successful companies, including AuthenTech, InvenSense, and others, and is known for his global investment approach, having invested in companies across the U.S., China, Australia, and more.234
In addition to his professional achievements, Yu is recognized for his passion for discovering innovative technologies that address real-world challenges. He advises entrepreneurs to maintain a long-term perspective and to treat fundraising as a part of the business, akin to selling products or recruiting talent.123
