Steve Vassallo

Overview

Steve Vassallo is a general partner at Foundation Capital, a venture capital firm based in Palo Alto, California. He invests at the intersection of design, technology, and business, focusing on products that meet real user needs and have the potential for significant business impact. His portfolio includes companies across enterprise, fintech, frontier tech, and design sectors. Before joining Foundation Capital in 2007, Vassallo co-founded Ning, a social platform, and served as vice president of product and engineering. He also held positions at Immersion, a pioneer in tactile feedback technology, and IDEO, where he developed products for companies like Cisco, Nike, and BMW. Vassallo holds a B.S. from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, an M.S. from Stanford University, and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He has authored 'The Way to Design' and writes a regular column for Forbes on product, tech, and startups. Outside of work, he enjoys building surfboards with his family.

Investment Focus

• Product-first founders
• Entrepreneurs aiming to solve consequential problems

Portfolio Companies