Canaan Partners
VC · Menlo Park (United States)
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About
Canaan is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in visionaries with transformative ideas. While we love speedy success, we're acutely aware that greatness comes in many forms and at different times. That's why we're not afraid to break the mold to bring something spectacular to life. Our approach is personal. We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach, but there are a few absolutes intrinsic to who we are and how we work. And these values weren’t contrived out of thin air, they’re hard earned over the past 30 years and counting. 01 High performance, low ego. The old adage “actions speak louder than words” rings true within Canaan’s walls, and in our interactions with companies out in the wild. Words like "understated" and "effective" are often used to describe our partners, and that’s fine by us. We’ll leave the bragging to the others. “Seasoned investors can be very arrogant, but Canaan is no BS, unassuming, and humble—no hysteria, no angst.” — Michael Gilman, CEO Arrakis 02 People are more than statistics. A diverse team means we bring varied perspectives to the table. And that table welcomes out-of-the-box thinking, spirited debate, and people from all walks of life. It’s our individual backgrounds and interests that inform our collective approach, which spans industries, generations, and coasts. In short, our diversity is who we are and what we do. 03 We ask for help, and so should you. We firmly believe that two heads are better than one. So while our investors thrive in 1:1 partnerships, our companies also have the support of the entire Canaan team whenever, wherever. Recruiting your executive team? We’ll mobilize our full network. Need operational advice to bring a product to market? We’ll connect you with the right partner or colleague. Our resources are yours. “Even if Canaan hadn’t funded us, just going through the process with them – the discussions we had and the questions they asked – already made us a better company. And that’s amazing.” — Julie Wainwright, CEO The RealReal 04 The Golden Rule still applies. We treat you like we treat ourselves—with respect, transparency, and honesty—even if it’s sometimes not what you want to hear. It’s this approach that makes our portfolio companies more like family, because we’re not afraid to get in the weeds and help solve big hairy problems. In fact, it’s what we live for. We’re acutely aware that our success hinges on your success, so we do what it takes. “We made big strategic shifts as a company and worked closely with Maha through all of them. Canaan is really smart about the way they get involved and how they support you through good times and bad.” — Kevin Chou, former CEO Kabam 05 We're in the know, not in the way. We’d be lying if we said we weren’t hands-on, but we also know when to step back and let you soar. Our goal is to add value to your process, and help you grow in ways you couldn’t alone. That’s why you’ll never see us booking meetings just to check a box or “see how are things are going.” We’ll already know, because that’s the kind of relationship we have with our companies. Balance, diversity and passion are at the core of who we are. Meet the hardworking people who defy convention, shatter glass ceilings, and take companies to the top — all with a unique style and a healthy dose of humor.
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