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David Lawee is the Founding Partner of CapitalG, Alphabet's independent growth equity firm, and is based in Los Gatos, California. Since establishing the fund in 2013, he has helped manage $7 billion in assets and directed investments into major technology companies including Airbnb, Stripe, Lyft, and CrowdStrike. Prior to this role, he spent nearly two decades at Google, serving as the company's first Vice President of Marketing and later as Vice President of Corporate Development, where he oversaw approximately 100 strategic acquisitions. Earlier in his career, he worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and co-founded the gaming network Xfire, which Viacom ultimately acquired for $102 million. His extensive background combines executive operational leadership and strategic mergers with a current focus on growth-stage venture capital across the enterprise software, cybersecurity, and fintech sectors.
David Lawee stands as a distinguished General Partner at CapitalG, Alphabet's independent growth fund, where he is instrumental in shaping the future of technology through strategic investments. CapitalG's mission is to back exceptional growth-stage companies and provide them with access to Google's vast resources and expertise, a process Lawee actively champions. His role involves identifying visionary founders and disruptive technologies, guiding them through critical growth phases, and helping them achieve market leadership.
Lawee's investment focus is broad yet discerning, primarily targeting high-potential companies across key technology sectors. He has a keen eye for innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), enterprise software, cybersecurity, fintech, and consumer internet platforms. His approach is not merely capital provision; it involves deep engagement with portfolio companies, leveraging his extensive operational and strategic background to accelerate their development and market penetration. This hands-on methodology is a hallmark of his investment philosophy, aiming to build enduring value.
Before his tenure at CapitalG, David Lawee built an impressive career marked by significant leadership roles at Google. He served as the Vice President of Marketing, overseeing global marketing initiatives and playing a crucial role in establishing Google's brand presence worldwide. Prior to that, he founded and led Google's Corporate Development team, where he was responsible for numerous strategic mergers and acquisitions that expanded Google's product offerings and market reach. His experience in both marketing and M&A provided him with a holistic understanding of technology company growth and market dynamics.
Beyond Google, Lawee's entrepreneurial spirit shone through as a co-founder and CEO of Xfire, a leading online gaming platform that was successfully acquired by Viacom. This firsthand experience as a founder and operator gives him a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities faced by the startups he now invests in. His diverse background, spanning entrepreneurship, corporate strategy, and global marketing, equips him with invaluable insights that he imparts to CapitalG's portfolio companies.
CapitalG, under the guidance of partners like Lawee, has invested in a formidable roster of industry-defining companies. While specific individual investments are often a collective effort of the fund, the types of companies Lawee helps shepherd include transformative players like Stripe, Airbnb, UiPath, CrowdStrike, Databricks, and Duolingo. These investments underscore his commitment to backing companies that are not only financially promising but also poised to redefine their respective industries. David Lawee's leadership at CapitalG continues to solidify its position as a premier growth equity firm, driving innovation and fostering the next generation of global tech leaders.
David Lawee is a General Partner at CapitalG, Alphabet's independent growth fund. He is a seasoned technology investor and executive, known for his leadership roles at Google and his entrepreneurial background.
David Lawee primarily invests in growth-stage technology companies across various sectors including artificial intelligence (AI), enterprise software, cybersecurity, fintech, and consumer internet platforms.
David Lawee works as a General Partner at CapitalG, which is Alphabet's independent growth fund. CapitalG is based in San Francisco, California.