Steve Vassallo

Steve launched his first startup when was 13 years old. His snow-blowing service taught him what it meant to be entrepreneur — and to grasp every opportunity he found, even if his hands got cold and numb in the process. A former project leader and design engineer at IDEO, Steve has built everything from Nike’s first-line of performance sunglasses to anesthesia-delivery devices and has 77 patents and multiple product design awards to his name.

Steve joined the Foundation Capital team in 2007, where today he leads the firm’s design practice and invests in companies at the intersection of business, technology and design. He recently authored The Way to Design, an inspirational guide for great designers to become great founders, and great founders to become great designers. He is also the convener and host of Product Minds, a Foundation Capital series of conversations with industry leaders about the art, science and drive that go into building great products.

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