Don is a Managing Director at Thomvest Ventures. His investments are focused on financial technology and marketing technology companies that leverage emerging and persistent data sources to better acquire and serve customers. Much of Don’s work has focused on the combination of these traits to drive significantly better customer experiences. His portfolio of investments spans many of the emerging next-generation leaders in financial services and marketing automation.

Together with the Thomvest team, Don’s investments in financial technology include Blend (NYSE: BLND), Carta, Credijusto, Figure, Kabbage (acquired by American Express), Ladder Life, LendingClub (NYSE: LC), SoFi (NASDAQ: SOFI), Tala, and Unqork. His investments in marketing technologies include DataXu (acquired by Roku), NetBase Quid, Singular, and Vungle (acquired by Blackstone). Don’s prior investments reflect his earlier focus on data and cybersecurity and include Cylance (acquired by Blackberry), FlashSoft (acquired by SanDisk), GuardianEdge (acquired by Symantec), and Okena (acquired by Cisco).

With his focus on data, financial services, and cybersecurity, Don started the Thomvest Chief Risk Officer (CRO) Working Group. This group includes current and former CROs from across the portfolio, and provides a bi-annual forum for CROs to discuss advances in risk analytics, anti-fraud technologies, and how borrower behavior is evolving over time.

Prior to Thomvest, Don helped lead the Japanese business development efforts for several startup companies in the data analysis and networking industries as part of his work with Asia Pacific Ventures. Don’s work in business development gave him firsthand experience in driving the revenue growth of several of his clients. Prior to doing business development for startups, Don spent three years as an Analyst with Lehman Brothers, where he worked with clients in the software and semiconductor industries. Don received a B.A. in Chinese from UCLA and M.A.s in both East Asian Studies and Political Science from Stanford University.

Don is also a contributor to Forbes, where his writings are focused on trends in technology and venture capital. Get in touch with Don at don@thomvest.com, or reach out to him via LinkedIn.