Lerer Hippeau is a New York City–based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2010. The firm has invested in over 400 companies across both consumer and enterprise sectors, including notable names like Allbirds, Glossier, and Warby Parker. Lerer Hippeau is known for backing founders at the pre-seed and seed stages, providing hands-on support from experienced operators to help build iconic companies.
Lerer Hippeau is a generalist investor, focusing on early-stage investments across consumer and enterprise sectors. The firm is particularly interested in founders with bold ideas who are unafraid to tackle hard problems, and it aims to be the first institutional investor in such ventures.
Lerer Hippeau recently closed $200M in new capital for its ninth early-stage fund as well as celebrated 15 years of supporting early-stage founders helping the New York tech ecosystem.
Leadership
The firm is led by Managing Partners Ben Lerer and Graham Brown, with Eric Hippeau serving as a Managing Partner. The team also includes Operating Partner Stephanie Manning, Head of People, Tanaz Mody, and Investor Will McKelvey.
Investment Strategy
Lerer Hippeau focuses on leading pre-seed and seed rounds, aiming to be the first institutional investor in startups. The firm provides hands-on support from experienced operators to help founders build enduring companies.
Notable Investments
The firm's portfolio includes companies such as Allbirds, Glossier, Warby Parker, MIRROR, ZenBusiness, and K Health.
Notable Exits
Lerer Hippeau has seen successful exits with companies like MIRROR (acquired by Lululemon), BuzzFeed (IPO), and Warby Parker (IPO).
