Ben Gilbert
InvestorVenture Partner at Pioneer Square Labs
Seattle, Washington
Writes $500K – $3M checks · typically $1.5M
Find your path to Ben
609 people in our graph share verified history with Ben — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
HowardunlockedBen: together at Cisco (2009)
×9Ben: together at Madrona Venture Group
×2Ben: together at Cisco
About
Ben Gilbert is a Venture Partner at PSL and co-founder and co-host of the Acquired podcast, which produces long-form episodes about company histories and strategies. He previously worked in product management at Microsoft, where he shipped the first version of Office for iPad and ran the company's grassroots innovation program, The Garage, and earlier built the productivity app "SeizeTheDay" as an independent iPhone developer. He holds a BS in Computer Science and Engineering from The Ohio State University.
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningConsumerFintechPropTechSaaS
Experience
- Acquired.FMCo-Founder / Co-Hostcurrent2015 — presentGreater Seattle Area
- Pioneer Square LabsVenture Partnercurrent2024 — presentSeattle, Washington, United States
- Pioneer Square LabsGeneral Partner + Managing Director, PSL Ventures2021 — 2023Seattle, Washington, United States
- Pioneer Square LabsCo-Founder2015 — 2021Seattle, WA
- Madrona Venture GroupCo-Founder, Madrona Venture Labs2014 — 2015Greater Seattle Area
- MicrosoftHead of The Garage2013 — 2014Redmond, WA
- MicrosoftProgram Manager, Office for iPad2012 — 2013Redmond, WA
- Red RideCo-Founder2013Greater Seattle Area
- Functional DelightsCo-Founder2009 — 2011
- MicrosoftProgram Manager Intern - Office Web Apps2011Redmond, WA
- ExactTargetSolutions Designer – CoTweet2010 — 2011
- CiscoTelepresence Exchange Test Engineer2009San Jose, CA
- Cisco SystemsWeb Development Engineer2008Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area
- Codonics, Inc.Product Test Engineer2003 — 2007
Skills & more
User ExperienceWeb DevelopmentProgram ManagementMobile ApplicationsAgile MethodologiesEntrepreneurshipStart-upsWeb ApplicationsMobile DevicesCloud ComputingStrategic LeadershipExecutive Sponsorship
+12 more
Team BuildingProject PlanningSoftware DesignManagementLeadershipJavaScriptPythonPHPMySQLCSSXMLLinuxFrom Ben's professional profile.
Colleagues at Pioneer Square Labs
Alex Ray
Principal at Pioneer Square Labs
Andrea Leach
Administration at Pioneer Square Labs
Caitlin Sowers
Product Design at Pioneer Square Labs
Dani Johnson
Recruiting at Pioneer Square Labs
David Zager
Partner at Pioneer Square Labs
Eugene Liao
Controller at Pioneer Square Labs
Geoff Entress
Managing Director at Pioneer Square Labs
Greg Gottesman
Managing Director at Pioneer Square Labs (Co-Chair) at Visible Hands
Network7
Geoff EntressScout
Managing Director at Pioneer Square Labs
Mike GalgonScout
Chief Executive Officer at Global Partnerships
Ben Rush
Senior Associate at Pioneer Square Labs
David Zager
Partner at Pioneer Square Labs
Greg Gottesman
Managing Director at Pioneer Square Labs (Co-Chair) at Visible Hands
Julie Sander
Managing Director at Pioneer Square Labs
Scott Jacobson
Managing Director at Madrona Venture Group
Investors connected to Ben in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Ben Gilbert?
- Ben Gilbert is a Venture Partner at PSL and co-founder and co-host of the Acquired podcast, which produces long-form episodes about company histories and strategies. He previously worked in product management at Microsoft, where he shipped the first version of Office for iPad and ran the company's grassroots innovation program, The Garage, and earlier built the productivity app "SeizeTheDay" as an independent iPhone developer. He holds a BS in Computer Science and Engineering from The Ohio State University.
- Where does Ben Gilbert work?
- Ben Gilbert is Venture Partner at Pioneer Square Labs.
- What does Ben Gilbert invest in?
- Ben Gilbert invests in AI & Machine Learning, Consumer, Fintech, PropTech, SaaS.
- What check size does Ben Gilbert write?
- Ben Gilbert typically writes checks of $500K – $3M.
- Where did Ben Gilbert go to school?
- Ben Gilbert studied at The Ohio State University (BSCSE, Computer Science and Engineering, Entrepreneurship).
Founder mafias
Cisco mafia166
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Sujay JaswaCorporate DevelopmentFounded Superunlimited +2Russ d'SaEngineerFounded Meetyu +2Val AgostinoSr. Director, Head of Product and GrowthFounded Monarch +2Marc AustinHead of Automation Strategy and Growth for Cisco Internet for the FutureFounded Hedgehog +2Dug SongGeneral Manager, Zero Trust & Duo SecurityFounded Duo Security (Link +1Aye MoahUser Interface DesignerFounded Baydin +1
+ 159 more
The Ohio State University mafia107
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Wil SchroterUndegradFounded Startups +2Torrey LeonardBachelor's degreeFounded Thought +2Ben KellieM.S.Founded Appliedatomics +2Andy SparksB.A.Founded LaunchGram +1Ray GrieselhuberBachelor of Arts - BAFounded Functionize +1Kevin UnkrichBachelor’s DegreeFounded Superpower +1
+ 100 more
Pioneer Square Labs mafia14
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Greg GottesmanManaging Director and Co-FounderFounded Pioneer Square Labs Holdings II +2Mike GalgonManaging DirectorFounded Pioneer Square Labs +1Robert SchulteEntrepreneur in ResidenceFounded Lumatax +1Todd SawickiEIRFounded Gumshoe +1Trip EdwardsSpinout LeadFounded Vinny +1Allison HarrEntrepreneur in ResidenceFounded Gemma Labs
+ 7 more
Madrona Venture Group mafia12
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Greg GottesmanManaging DirectorFounded Pioneer Square Labs Holdings II +2Doug AleyEntrepreneur in ResidenceFounded Shuddle +1Steve SinghManaging DirectorFounded SpotnanaOren EtzioniVenture PartnerFounded VERCEPTDaniel LiVenture PartnerFounded PlusaiSunny GuptaStrategic DirectorFounded Apptio
+ 5 more
Exact Target mafia9
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Mike FitzgeraldEVP, Corporate Development (Acquired by Salesforce)Founded High Alpha Capital +2Zach KochIntegration InternFounded Fixie +1Chris BaggottFounderFounded ClusterTruckConner BurtEnterprise Account ExecutiveFounded LessonlyAaron HoganUser Experience DesignerFounded Soundspace TechnologyBrian RoweDirector of Product ManagementFounded Perceivant
+ 2 more
Same school
Also attended The Ohio State University211
Keatten SmithCapital Formation Coordinator at March Capital PartnersSara Risch, PhDAdvisor at CincyTechWill McKelveyPrincipal at Lerer HippeauLaura SebastianiVP of Finance at Scale Venture PartnersSuresh BalasubramanianInvestor at Storm VenturesJohn D. SimonExecutive Venture Partner at Caduceus Capital Partners
+ 205 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Pioneer Square Labs27
Vivek LadsariyaManaging Director at PSL VenturesGreg GottesmanManaging Director at Pioneer Square Labs (Co-Chair) at Visible HandsSanford SpiveyHead of Studio at 25MadisonMike GalgonChief Executive Officer at Global PartnershipsAllison HarrVice President, DAF Investments at Global PartnershipsGeoff EntressManaging Director at Pioneer Square Labs
+ 21 more
Also worked at Madrona Venture Group66
Scott JacobsonManaging Director at Madrona Venture GroupKaran MehandruManaging Director at Madrona Venture GroupTim PorterManaging Director at Madrona Venture GroupSteve SinghManaging Director at Madrona Venture GroupChris PicardoPartner at Madrona investing at the intersection of life science and computer science, plus consumer tech and Web3Sabrina Albert (Wu)Partner at Madrona Venture Group
+ 60 more
Also worked at Microsoft1,826
Reid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockGarry TanPresident & CEO of Y CombinatorNat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDGKai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AIBill GatesCo-founder of Microsoft; Chair of the Gates FoundationMike KriegerCo-founder of Instagram; Chief Product Officer at Anthropic
+ 1,820 more
