John Lee

John is an experienced early-stage investor, focusing on companies across frontier technology, enterprise software, robotics, healthcare, and artificial intelligence. He gravitates towards startups that are using science and technology to break down barriers to productivity growth and enable a better future for the largest number of people. As an entrepreneur and investor, John has worked closely with technologists and scientists from company formation to exit. He brings deep expertise in understanding nascent technologies and how they translate into product.

Prior to JAZZ, John was a Principal at Osage University Partners (OUP), a VC firm focused on investing in startups that commercialize university technologies and scientific breakthroughs. John helped grow OUP’s footprint across over 100 leading research institutions. Additionally, John drove OUP’s seed investment strategy, where he worked closely with serial entrepreneurs in forming companies. Previously, he started his investing career at Lux Capital, a leading deep technology VC firm.

John’s investments and board roles include Algorithmia, Body Labs (acq. AMZN), Corelight, Clarifai, Elementary, Embodied Robotics, Guardant Health (NYSE: GH), Kymeta, Menlo Security, SiFive, and Streetlight Data.

Before early-stage investing, John worked at Mahindra & Mahindra, one of Asia’s largest conglomerates. At Mahindra, he was part of a small team that led the acquisition of SsangYong Motors, which remains the largest cross-border acquisition between India and South Korea. Prior to this, John founded his first company as an undergraduate at Cornell and his second while working at Mahindra & Mahindra.

Being a founder-led John to the venture side, where he seeks to combine his excitement to work with breakthrough founders and his passion for frontier technologies. His diverse experiences give him the empathy and insight to be a dependable partner for the entrepreneurs he works with.

John earned a B.S. in Biology & Society from Cornell University.