Nathaniel Ru

Nathaniel Ru is the General Partner of Ru Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Los Angeles, California. Prior to transitioning to venture capital, he served as the Co-founder and CEO of Sweetgreen from 2007 to 2022, scaling the fast-casual restaurant chain to over 200 locations across the United States. Under his leadership, the company completed its initial public offering in 2021, achieving a market capitalization exceeding $1.6 billion. Through his family office, Ru launched a $100 million fund in October 2023 to back consumer technology and foodtech startups, building a portfolio of more than 20 investments that includes board roles and connections to Grok Ventures and Allbirds. The Duke University economics graduate currently focuses on leveraging his operational background to support seed and Series A companies operating within the retail, consumer internet, and sustainability sectors.