You may know Dave Lu from the companies he’s founded, his investment syndicate, or his high-profile career in Big Tech. But some know him best for his illuminating work, shining a light on Asian leaders in all sectors of business and culture, as well as on the societal obstacles they face.
For our May virtual member event, Dave joined journalist and Optionality member Grace Hwang Lynch, in a conversation that touched on bringing passion and values into a business career, the Scarcity vs Abundance Mindset, and telling the untold stories of Asian American impact.
Dave Lu is a veteran in the technology industry, having worked for over two decades at big tech companies including Yahoo!, Apple, Cisco and eBay and founding two startups, Fanpop (entertainment social network that reached over 40 million monthly visitors) and Expo (formerly Pared). In 2011, Dave created a community called Asian American Founders Circle which has grown to over 400 founders including Tony Xu (DoorDash), Steve Chen (YouTube), Kevin Lin (Twitch) and many others. AAFC inspired the launch of Hyphen Capital, a syndicate focused on investing in Asian American founders that has invested nearly $30 million in over 90 startups (over 50% with a female founder).
He most recently started a movement with a letter condemning hate crimes against Asians which he co-wrote that was signed by over 8,000 prominent business leaders and influencers including the CEOs of Google, LinkedIn, DoorDash, President George W. Bush, Andre Iguodala, and JJ Abrams. The letter was published as a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal and has led to the launch of Stand with Asian Americans, a non-profit organization committed to fighting discrimination against Asian Americans. He recently produced the Emmy-winning documentary short ‘38 at the Garden’ about NBA player Jeremy Lin that was acquired by HBO. Dave sits on the advisory board of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and The Asia Pacific Fund.
Grace Hwang Lynch is a storyteller and consultant, with broad experience in journalism, editing, and organizational communications. Her reporting has been on NPR, Public Radio International, NBC Asian America and other outlets. As a communications consultant, she helps nonprofits and small businesses find and articulate their mission, values, and aspirations across various platforms. In her creative writing life, Grace has been published in Tin House, Catapult, Brevity Magazine, and recently in the anthology Nonwhite and Woman: 131 Micro Essays on Being in the World (Woodhall Press). She believes that curiosity and listening are the first steps to telling a good story.
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