Jeremy Liew represented Australia at the International Mathematical Olympiad as a teenager before deciding, in his words, that he wasn't cut out to be a professional mathematician. He spent the 1990s and early 2000s as an operator at Netscape, AOL, CitySearch, and IAC before joining Lightspeed Venture Partners in 2006 as the firm's first dedicated consumer specialist. In 2012, he made the first institutional investment in a then-tiny disappearing-photo app called Snapchat, a bet that defined his career and the firm's consumer practice alike. He has also backed Affirm, The Honest Company, and Bonobos, and stepped back from new investments in 2021 while remaining active on his portfolio companies' boards.
Education
B.Sc. & B.A. (Hons), Australian National University
M.B.A., Stanford University (2000)
Previous Experience
SVP Corporate Development & Chief of Staff to CEO, AOL
General Manager, Netscape
VP Strategic Planning, IAC (InterActiveCorp)
Notable Investments
Snap SNAPAffirm AFRMThe Honest Company HNSTBonobosGiphyRipplePlaydomKongregateEpic GamesBlockchainCheddarFlixsterHungryrootIllumixLadderLedgerXRothy'sShoedazzleSliceZest AIBrigitMagic SpoonZerionOne More GameVolleyArt of SportHoneyloveBemeFan Controlled FootballThe NudgeUnited Dwelling
Board Seats
Affirm
Blockchain.com
Career Timeline
1988
Represents Australia at the International Mathematical Olympiad alongside future Fields Medalist Terence Tao.
1990s
Works at early web pioneers Netscape, AOL, CitySearch, and IAC.
2006
Joins Lightspeed Venture Partners as its first dedicated consumer specialist.
2012
Makes the first institutional investment in a then-tiny app called Snapchat.
2017
Snap goes public, five years after that first bet.
2021
Steps back from leading new investments while remaining on the boards of his existing portfolio companies.