I am Managing Partner at blockchain/crypto-native investment firm CoinFund in NYC. We invest in multi-stage crypto projects, companies and teams. I sit on the board of Dapper Labs, Rarible, Running Tide, Simbe Robotics and Arduino.
Formerly, I was a Partner at venture capital firm Venrock in NYC focused on investing and helping build early-stage consumer and enterprise tech companies. My areas of focus included consumer products and services, AI, crypto, social/mobile media and robotics.
When I started my career at Apple, I experienced the power truly outstanding products can have on creating not just new markets, but on empowering people to harness their own creativity. As a drummer and songwriter, I know first hand how great tools help me unleash my own latent talents.
Apple's sense of entrepreneurialism - the core belief that great products can change the world - led me to build and create my own startups, and now I love working with other founders to launch and grow great new companies destined to impact the world.
I’ve been a consumer internet entrepreneur since 1997. I co-founded the Apple Music Group in 1995, worked at N2K (one of the first online music companies), co-founded MyPlay (pioneer of the digital music locker), and was CEO/COO of eMusic for five years.
I am on the board of Dstillery, Smartling, Dapper Labs, Simbe Robotics, Running Tide, Arduino and a few other companies. I also have made investments in CoinFund, Flow, Compound, Uniswap, Balancer and other tokens/protocol. I also worked with Dollar Shave Club (led the Series A and B rounds), Klout, Crunchyroll and Nest. I love working with amazing entrepreneurs and people much smarter than I am.
Yeah, I love music & still wish I was a rock star, but building amazing products & helping startups achieve their ultimate desire to bring great products to market is a privilege I really enjoy.
If you are an entrepreneur building a great new startup, I'd love to hear from you. While you can certainly email me directly (dp at venrock dot com), the best way to engage is through a warm introduction through a mutual connection. We must both know some of the same people.