Silicon Valley-based Aspect Ventures, a venture firm, has named Vishal Lugani as principal. Lugani joined the firm in 2016. Prior to joining Aspect, Lugani worked at Greycroft Partners.
PRESS RELEASE
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 31, 2018) – Aspect Ventures, a leading venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, today announced the appointment of Vishal Lugani to Principal of the firm. Vishal joined Aspect Ventures in 2016 and has played a significant role in several of the firm’s investments. As Principal, Vishal will lead new investments and continue to focus on identifying strategic areas of interest for the firm.
“Vishal’s steadfast commitment to our portfolio companies and strategic approach to identifying unique investment opportunities makes him a great asset to the Aspect team,” said Theresia Gouw, co-founder of Aspect Ventures. Fellow co-founder Jennifer Fonstad added, “In just two years, Vishal has added tremendous value to Aspect and has established himself as a trusted and collaborative partner not only within the firm but also to the many portfolio companies he advises.”
In addition to playing an active role in several of Aspect’s investments, Vishal works with many of the firm’s portfolio companies across a range of industries, including digital health companies Vida Health, Amino and Worklete, enterprise productivity and machine learning-powered software companies such as Astro (acquired by Slack), Integris, & Stem.io, and consumer-focused businesses such as HotelTonight and BaubleBar.
“I’m excited to be part of a world-class team that seeks to back exceptional companies and entrepreneurs who are ushering in the next wave of innovation” said Vishal Lugani, Principal at Aspect Ventures. “I look forward to continuing my work at Aspect to identify new opportunities for the firm and to support our incredible management teams.”
Vishal was previously named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 for Venture Capital. Prior to Aspect, he spent several years at Greycroft Partners. While at Greycroft, Vishal invested in and supported portfolio companies including Acorns, App Annie, HopSkipDrive and Everything But the House, among others. Vishal began his career at Bain & Company in the firm’s New York and Los Angeles offices. A graduate of Harvard University, Vishal launched the school’s chapter of the Kairos Society, an organization supporting young entrepreneurs globally, and continues to advise the organization today.
Aspect recently closed its second institutional venture fund of $200 million to continue its mission of investing in early stage technology companies.
About Aspect Ventures
Aspect Ventures, a leading venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, was founded in 2014 by two Silicon Valley venture capital veterans. Aspect raised its first institutional fund of $150 million in 2015 and a second investment fund of $200 million in 2018. Aspect invests across a broad array of industries including cybersecurity, future of work, digital health, and several other emerging technology areas. Current portfolio companies include cybersecurity providers Forescout Technologies (FSCT), Cato Networks, Exabeam, ShieldX, Integris; future of work-focused companies Crew, Gusto, Chime, The Muse and Troops; and digital health startups such as Vida Health, Grokker, and Solv. Artificial intelligence serves as the foundational technological platform for several of Aspect’s investments targeting key verticals, including companies like healthcare data provider Amino, future of work focused companies such as Troops and Qordoba, and autonomous vehicle software provider Mapper. Taken together, the track record of the firm’s investment team includes 12 IPOs, 30 successful acquisitions, multiple billions in public market cap, and over 500 rounds in follow-on capital raised for portfolio companies.