Laurie Yoler
InvestorVenture Partner at Playground Global · Board director at Zoox
San Francisco Bay Area
Writes $1M – $20M checks · typically $10M
About
Laurie Yoler is a Venture Partner at Playground Global with decades of experience building, scaling, and advising companies. Her earlier career included roles as President of Qualcomm Labs, founder and Managing Director at technology investment bank GrowthPoint Technology Partners, and computer science work in AI at Accenture, PwC, Visa, and Sun Microsystems, where she helped launch Sun Microsystems Ventures. She has served on more than 25 boards across public companies, startups, and nonprofits, and continues studies and guest lecturing at Stanford.
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep TechHardwareMobility & TransportationRoboticsSemiconductors
Board director at Zoox
Intro paths
→
In turn, Laurie can intro founders to Zoox's investors below.
Zoox's investors · 10
Blackbird VenturesSydney · $149K – $60M checksBrave CapitalSan RafaelBreyer CapitalAustin · $500K – $10M checksIntrepid Growth PartnersTorontoLux CapitalNew York · $100K – $100M checksPlayground GlobalPalo Alto · $1M – $20M checks · since 2016Raptor GroupMiami BeachThreshold VenturesPalo Alto · $500K – $20M checks · since 2016Time Zero CapitalXplorer CapitalMenlo Park
Co-founders at Zoox
TK
TIM KENTLEY-KLAYExecutive Officer, Director
JL
JESSE LEVINSONExecutive Officer, Director
Experience
- Playground GlobalPartnercurrent2019 — presentSilicon Valley, CA
- BodyportBoard Observercurrent2026 — presentSan Francisco, CA
- Church & Dwight Co., Inc.Member Board Of Directorscurrent2018 — presentEwing, NJ
- VolteraBoard Membercurrent2026 — present
- AptivAdvisory Board Membercurrent2023 — presentBoston, Massachusetts, United States
- Broadway AngelsInvestorcurrent2013 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- Bose CorporationMember Board Of Directors2018 — 2024Framingham, MA
- SaltboxBoard Member2021 — 2024
- TTI/VanguardAdvisory Board Member2020 — 2024
- Leaf LogisticsBoard Member2019 — 2023
- AccentureAdvisory Board Member, Technology Vision2014 — 2023San Francisco Bay Area
- Zoox Inc.Board Member and Strategic Advisor2015 — 2020Silicon Valley, CA
- Noon HomeMember Board Of Directors2017 — 2019Silicon Valley, CA
- QualcommPresident, Qualcomm Labs & SVP, Business Development2013 — 2016San Diego & San Jose, CA
- GrowthPoint Technology PartnersManaging Director and Ownership Partner2006 — 2013Silicon Valley, CA
- Tesla MotorsFounding Board Director and Investor2003 — 2013San Francisco Bay Area
- DNA DirectBoard of Advisors2005 — 2012San Francisco Bay Area
- Intellectual VenturesChief Development Officer2004 — 2005Greater Seattle Area
- Precision I/OCo-founder and VP, Business Development and Marketing2003 — 2004San Francisco Bay Area
- Packet DesignVP, Business Development and Marketing2001 — 2004San Francisco Bay Area
- Index VenturesBoard of Advisors1998 — 2001Geneva Area, Switzerland
- Interactive InvestorBoard Director1999 — 2001London, United Kingdom
- Sun MicrosystemsDirector, Corporate Development and Venture Capital1993 — 2001San Francisco Bay Area
- VisaDirector, Product Development and Product Management1990 — 1993San Francisco Bay Area
- PwCConsulting Manager1990San Francisco, California
- AccentureManagement Consultant1986 — 1990Seattle, Washington
Skills & more
Corporate Development72Venture Capital99New Business Development28Strategic Partnerships99M&A experience6Intellectual Property Strategy1Digital Media9Consumer Internet2Raising Venture Capital1Investment Banking8Start-ups99Business Development51
+12 more
Intellectual PropertyProduct ManagementEntrepreneurshipInvestmentsMobile DevicesMergers & AcquisitionsPrivate EquityE-commerceStrategyStrategic PlanningManagementLeadership- CERT Certificate in Cybersecurity Oversight — Carnegie Mellon University
- Series 63 — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
- Series 7 — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
From Laurie's professional profile.
Deals · 2
Logistics ExchangeBoard seat
via Playground Global · filed Feb 2022 · $37M raise
ZooxBoard seat
via Playground Global · filed Oct 2016 · $50M raise
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Board seats
Church & DwightTesla
Sources: the firm's website · SEC Form D filings.
Colleagues at Playground Global
Angela Lin
Executive Assistant at Playground Global
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Austin Yu
Investor at Playground Global
Benjamin Kim
Partner at Playground Global
Bruce Leak
General Partner at Playground Global
Caroline Little
Director Government Affairs at Playground Global
Chika Nakasu
Executive Manager at Playground Global
Cici Tong
Assistant Controller at Playground Global
Clinton Lazzari
Operating Partner, Supply Chain at Playground Global
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Laurie Yoler?
- Laurie Yoler is a Venture Partner at Playground Global with decades of experience building, scaling, and advising companies. Her earlier career included roles as President of Qualcomm Labs, founder and Managing Director at technology investment bank GrowthPoint Technology Partners, and computer science work in AI at Accenture, PwC, Visa, and Sun Microsystems, where she helped launch Sun Microsystems Ventures. She has served on more than 25 boards across public companies, startups, and nonprofits, and continues studies and guest lecturing at Stanford.
- Where does Laurie Yoler work?
- Laurie Yoler is Venture Partner at Playground Global and Board director at Zoox.
- What does Laurie Yoler invest in?
- Laurie Yoler invests in AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Deep Tech, Hardware, Mobility & Transportation, Robotics, Semiconductors.
- What check size does Laurie Yoler write?
- Laurie Yoler typically writes checks of $1M – $20M.
- What boards does Laurie Yoler sit on?
- Laurie Yoler holds tracked board seats at Church & Dwight, Logistics Exchange, Tesla, Zoox, Zoox.
- Where did Laurie Yoler go to school?
- Laurie Yoler studied at Executive Education / Stanford Graduate School of Business (Stanford Directors’ Consortium, Public Company Board Governance); Stanford Law School (Directors' College, Public Company Board Governance); Stanford Law School (Directors' College for Venture-Backed Company Directors).
Same school
Also attended Stanford Law School96
Steve AbbottPartner, Capital Markets at Sapphire VenturesAlex LehmanVice President at Sapphire VenturesMichael KlaykoOperating Executive at Marlin Equity PartnersSandy MillerInvestor at IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)Tim HsiaFounder at Context VenturesRenataCo-founder at Renegade Partners
+ 90 more
Also attended Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management725
Jenny LeeSenior Managing Partner at Granite AsiaKunal BahlCo-founder of Snapdeal; co-founder of Titan CapitalAndy FligelSenior Managing Director at Intel CapitalDavid Clark GuillermoInvestments at Impact America FundGiuseppe DonvitoPartner at P101 VenturesAntonio TurroniOperating Advisor at P101 Ventures
+ 719 more
Also attended Københavns Universitet - University of Copenhagen143
David HelgasonUnity co-founder; Partner at TransitionJesper GromadaInvestor at Third Rock VenturesUlrik B. NielsenGeneral Partner at Mission BiocapitalNana Kusi MinkahAccounting and Operations Associate at Mission BiocapitalTommy AhlersFormer Danish Science Minister at Giant Ventures Global LlpRafael Jara-SimkinHead of Sales Intelligence at Theory Ventures
+ 137 more
Also attended Washington State University46
Alli SherwinExecutive Assistant at Madrona Venture GroupRajat TanejaInvestor at Foundation CapitalKim TranFinance at Lux CapitalPatrick LoerchBio Advisor at Amplify PartnersBrad H. ValeFounding General Partner at Treo Ventures, LlcEllaina DiederichExecutive Assistant at Endeavour Capital
+ 40 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Aptiv8
Srinidhi RaoPartner at Next47Eran SandhausVenture Partner at Next Gear VenturesVasco GouveiaM&A Analyst, Omnium Advisory Partners at Lince CapitalDougInvestor at Wavemaker PartnersDoug ParkerFounding Partner at Wavemaker ImpactJohn HewittClass I Director at Innventure
+ 2 more
Also worked at Accenture872
Mark SusterManaging Partner at Upfront VenturesChris BrittCo-founder & CEO of ChimeViviana FagaGeneral Partner at Felicis VenturesJulie YangVice President at InvestcorpAmira OujiVice President of Platform & Portfolio Success, Rise of the Rest at RevolutionAntonio GrifoniAssociate at P101 Ventures
+ 866 more
