Finding Genius: Laura Chau, Canaan

Laura Chau, Canaan's newest partner, on building 'inclusive cults' for consumer and D2C brands

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This interview was sponsored by Trinet and Anchin. For support on HR Services and Payroll, please reach out to raeellen.zekas@trinet.com. For accounting, tax, and advisory services including R&D Tax Credits, please reach out to chris.noble@anchin.com. For more about our sponsors and the reduced rates they are offering as part of this series, please read more about them at the bottom of this post.

Laura Chau was recently promoted to Partner at Canaan, a fund that has previously invested in companies such as The Real Real, Instacart, Turo, and Ro. Laura shares more about her path through venture capital and working with the inimitable Marie Kondo to support the launch of the Marie Kondo brand and media business. Shortly after this conversation, Laura announced an investment in the Canadian Autotech startup, Clutch.

In our conversation, Laura discusses her investments in Ollie, Coterie, MSCHF, Mira, and more. Reflecting on her seven-year venture career, Laura discusses the shifts consumer and commerce-focused entrepreneurs have had to manage as acquisition channels have become more saturated. She shares how standout companies, such as MSCHF, successfully build communities or fandoms with zero to low acquisition costs. On new compelling areas of interest to her and Canaan, Laura discusses the metaverse and the economy that is being built around that.