Les Delaforce
InvestorVenture Partner at Melt Ventures · Research and Development at Rio Tinto Ventures
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Find your path to Les
536 people in our graph share verified history with Les — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
MarcunlockedLes: together at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2022–2023)
×4Les: together at Princeton University
×3Les: together at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
×2Les: together at Australian Institute of Company Directors
About
Les Delaforce leads research and development initiatives at Rio Tinto focused on artificial intelligence, robotics, and environmental analytics. He is a venture partner at Melt Ventures and non-executive director of AIM WA, with prior experience as founder and chief executive of a venture-backed AI data analytics company that exited in 2019. Delaforce previously managed innovation and technology portfolios at Minderoo and serves on several government and industry boards.
Experience
- Rio TintoResearch and Developmentcurrent2024 — present
- Melt VenturesVenture Partnercurrent2022 — present
- AIM WABoard Membercurrent2026 — present
- Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and InnovationWA Aboriginal Business, Trade and Investment Board - Advisory Board Membercurrent2023 — present
- Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and TradeAustralian Advisory Board Member2025 — 2026
- Minderoo FoundationHead of Indigenous Entrepreneurship & Impact Projects2020 — 2024Perth, WA
- Water CorporationHead of Innovation2020 — 2021
- DreamSpark CoManaging Director2018 — 2021Greater Perth Area
- Tank Stream LabsState Director2018 — 2020Perth, Australia
- CovocateCo-Founder & Managing Director2015 — 2019
- Government of Western AustraliaWA State Government – Various roles2009 — 2015
Skills & more
Social Entrepreneurship4Innovation Consulting3Executive Development1New Business DevelopmentStrategic PartnershipsBusiness TransformationStartupsPartnershipsInnovation DevelopmentInvestment Strategies1Digital TransformationStrategic Corporate Philanthropy
+12 more
Organizational LeadershipStrategic LeadershipGovernmentChange ManagementStrategyProgram ManagementStakeholder EngagementProject ManagementBudgetsStrategic PlanningManagementTeam Leadership- Company Directors Course — Australian Institute of Company Directors
- Design-Led Strategy: Design thinking for business strategy and entrepreneurship — University of Sydney
From Les's professional profile.
Colleagues at Melt Ventures
Alan Spicer
Operations & Governance at Melt Ventures
Clint Bruin
Engineer in Residence at Melt Ventures
Hamish Rogers
Analyst at Melt Ventures
James Douglas
Venture Partner at Melt Ventures
Jason Faulkner
Venture Partner at Melt Ventures
Nathan Kirchner
Venture Partner at Melt Ventures
Paul Howdle
Venture Partner at Melt Ventures
Steph Hinds
Managing Partner at Melt Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Les Delaforce?
- Les Delaforce leads research and development initiatives at Rio Tinto focused on artificial intelligence, robotics, and environmental analytics. He is a venture partner at Melt Ventures and non-executive director of AIM WA, with prior experience as founder and chief executive of a venture-backed AI data analytics company that exited in 2019. Delaforce previously managed innovation and technology portfolios at Minderoo and serves on several government and industry boards.
- Where does Les Delaforce work?
- Les Delaforce is Venture Partner at Melt Ventures.
- Where did Les Delaforce go to school?
- Les Delaforce studied at Australian Institute of Company Directors (Company Directors Course); Curtin University (Master of Business Administration - MBA); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program).
Same school
Also attended Australian Institute of Company Directors199
John DysonInvestment Principal at Starfish VenturesHelen SounessVenture Partner at RampersandOliver RyanFinance and Operations at Skip CapitalTim HeasleyPartner at ArtesianKirsten BernhardtPrincipal at ArtesianJordan JeffreyPrincipal at Artesian
+ 193 more
Also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology2,000
Fred WilsonCo-founder & Partner at Union Square VenturesElad GilSolo general partner investing through Gil CapitalAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesHemant TanejaCEO & Managing Director of General CatalystPhilippe LaffontFounder & CIO of Coatue ManagementNat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG
+ 1,994 more
Also attended Australian Institute of Management9
Vela GeorgievCOO and Operating Partner at Tenacious VenturesAleta KnowlesInvestment Manager - Biotechnology at UniSeed Pty Ltd.Kate AllanDirector People, Office and Culture at Adamantem CapitalQuentin WallaceVenture Partner at Archangel VenturesSteve YorkBoard Member at PledgeMeNate SturckeHead of Impact at PLUS EIGHT
+ 3 more
Also attended Princeton University877
Fabrice GrindaCo-founder & Managing Partner at FJ LabsRyan SheaCo-founder of Blockstack (Stacks)Dario AmodeiCo-founder & CEO of AnthropicFei-Fei LiCo-founder & CEO of World Labs; Sequoia Professor of Computer Science at StanfordCat WuInvestor at Index VenturesAndrewAdvisor at Clear Ventures
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+ 871 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation1
Also worked at Minderoo Foundation10
Anna EllisInvestment Director at Roc PartnersJimmy HuangAssociate at Adamantem CapitalKelsee SewellExecutive Assistant & Operations Lead at TenmileJohn HartmanInvestment Committee Member; CEO of Tattarang and Minderoo Foundation at TenmileSteve BurnellManaging Director; Chair of the Investment Committee at TenmileTanisha BanaszczykInvestment Advisor at Folklore Ventures
+ 4 more
