Where does Lip-Bu Tan work?

Lip-Bu Tan is Founder of Velaura AI and Founding Managing Partner at Celesta Capital and Board director at SambaNova Systems and Board director at Komprise and Board director at Cnex Labs.

What check size does Lip-Bu Tan write?

Lip-Bu Tan typically writes checks of $500K – $20M.

What companies did Lip-Bu Tan found?

Lip-Bu Tan founded Velaura AI, Walden Catalyst.

What boards does Lip-Bu Tan sit on?

Lip-Bu Tan holds tracked board seats at Cnex Labs, Credo, Movandi RFCMOS for 5G world, Quantenna Communications, Sima Technologies.

Where did Lip-Bu Tan go to school?

Lip-Bu Tan studied at Carnegie Mellon University (Honorary Doctor of Science and Technology); University of San Francisco (Honorary Doctor's Degree, Humane Letters); University of San Francisco (Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)).

Lip-Bu Tan

InvestorFounder

Founding Managing Partner at Celesta Capital · Founding Managing Partner at Walden Catalyst · Investor at Walden International · Member of the Board of Trustee at Carnegie Mellon University · Chief Executive Officer at Intel Corporation · +3 more

USA

Writes $500K – $20M checks

FoundedVelaura AI Walden Catalyst

Find your path to Lip-Bu

1,463 people in our graph share verified history with Lip-Bu — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Javier SolterounlockedLip-Bu: together at Carnegie Mellon University (2011–2019)

×3Lip-Bu: together at Intel Corporation

×3Lip-Bu: together at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Lip-Bu: together at Celesta Capital

About

Lip-Bu Tan, former Cadence CEO and long‑time semiconductor operator-investor, offers chip founders systems‑level expertise from materials through applications and deep operational credibility across the U.S., Taiwan, China and Southeast Asia.

Contact· self-published, not guessed

l•••@celesta.vcreveal

Likely email· guessed from name + firm domain, not firm-published

l•••@waldencatalyst.comreveal100% confident

Invests in

AI & Machine LearningBiotechData & InfrastructureDeep TechDefense TechHardwareNew MaterialsRoboticsSemiconductorsSpace Tech

Board director at SambaNova Systems

Intro paths

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In turn, Lip-Bu can intro founders to SambaNova Systems's investors below.

SambaNova Systems's investors · 23

Atlantic Bridge VenturesDublin · $1M – $5M checks · since 2018 Battery VenturesBoston · $500K – $100M checks Berkeley FrontierBerkeley BlackRockWilmington · since 2021 Cambium CapitalHighland Celesta CapitalSan Francisco Celesta CapitalMenlo Park · $5M – $20M checks Felicis VenturesSan Francisco · $500K – $15M checks GICSingapore · since 2021 GV (Google Ventures)Mountain View · $250K – $50M checks · since 2021 Intel CapitalSanta Clara · $1M – $20M checks · since 2021 Khosla VenturesMenlo Park · $5K – $50M checks Mayfield FundCupertino · $500K – $12M checks Micron VenturesSan Jose Pointguard VenturesLos Altos · $2M – $10M checks Prime VenturesAmsterdam · $5.4M – $16.2M checks Qatar Investment AuthorityDoha Samsung Catalyst FundSan Jose SoftBank Vision FundLondon TemasekSingapore · since 2021 Thomvest VenturesSan Francisco · $2M – $5M checks · since 2026 Walden CatalystSan Francisco · $550K checks Walden InternationalSan Francisco · since 2018

Co-founders at SambaNova Systems

Kunle OlukotunCo-founder & Chief Technologist

Rodrigo LiangCo-founder & CEO

Board director at Komprise

Intro paths

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In turn, Lip-Bu can intro founders to Komprise's investors below.

Komprise's investors · 5

Canaan PartnersStamford · $500K – $20M checks · since 2015 Celesta CapitalMenlo Park · $5M – $20M checks Celesta CapitalSan Francisco Multiplier CapitalWashington · $3M – $15M checks Top Tier Capital PartnersSan Francisco · since 2019

Co-founders at Komprise

Krishna SubramanianExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter

Kumar GoswamiExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter

Mike PeercyFounder

Board director at Cnex Labs

Intro paths

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In turn, Lip-Bu can intro founders to Cnex Labs's investors below.

Cnex Labs's investors · 8

Brightstone Venture CapitalMinneapolis · $250K – $10M checks Castor Ventures Celesta CapitalMenlo Park · $5M – $20M checks · since 2015 Cisco InvestmentsSan Jose Dell Technologies CapitalPalo Alto · $500K – $50M checks · since 2018 M12 (Microsoft's Venture Fund)Seattle · $100K – $10M checks Sierra VenturesSan Mateo · $10M checks · since 2021 We VenturesSeoul · $743K – $19M checks

Co-founders at Cnex Labs

Yiren HuangExecutive Officer, Director

Alan ArmstrongExecutive Officer, Director

Experience

Intel CorporationChief Executive Officercurrent2025 — present
Walden InternationalChairmancurrent1984 — present
Walden Catalyst VenturesFounding Managing Partnercurrent2020 — present
Celesta CapitalFounding Managing Partnercurrent2021 — present
Schneider Electric Energy & Sustainability ServicesBoard Membercurrent2019 — presentParis Area, France
Carnegie Mellon UniversityMember of the Board of Trusteecurrent2011 — present
Artera.aiChairman of the Boardcurrent2022 — present
Greenstone BiosciencesChairman of the Boardcurrent2022 — present
Rivos Inc.Chairman of the Boardcurrent2021 — present
Green Hills SoftwareBoard membercurrent2019 — present
SambaNovaChairman of the Boardcurrent2025 — present
SambaNovaExecutive Chairman2024 — 2025Palo Alto, California
SambaNovaChairman of the Board2017 — 2024Palo Alto, California, United States
Fuller Theological SeminaryMember of the Board of Trusteecurrent2021 — present
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMember of the School of Engineering Dean's Advisory Councilcurrent2023 — present
Intel CorporationBoard Member2022 — 2024
Cadence Design SystemsAdvisor2023 — 2024
Cadence Design SystemsExecutive Chairman2021 — 2023
Cadence Design SystemsCEO2008 — 2021
SoftBank GroupBoard Member2020 — 2022
Innovium Inc.Chairman2015 — 2021
Hewlett Packard EnterpriseBoard member2015 — 2021
AMEC (Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc.)Board Member2005 — 2020
Habana LabsDirector2016 — 2019
AquantiaLead Director2016 — 2019105 E tasman drive, San Jose
Ambarella IncLead Director2004 — 20173101 Jay Street, Santa Clara
Quantenna CommunicationsLead Director2015 — 2017
NUVIA IncChairman of the Board2008 — 2016
新浪Board Member1999 — 2015
Annapurna LabsBoard Member2012 — 2013
Inphi CorporationBoard Member2002 — 2012

Skills & more

Start-ups18Semiconductors12Product Management4Strategic Partnerships14EDA2SaaS2ASIC4Enterprise Software2Venture Capital6IC3Mergers & Acquisitions7Strategy6

From Lip-Bu's professional profile.

Deals · 4

Sima TechnologiesBoard seat

via Walden Catalyst · filed Nov 2022 · $67.8M raise

press ↗

Movandi RFCMOS for 5G worldBoard seat

via Celesta Capital · filed Aug 2020 · $35.8M raise

Cnex LabsBoard seat

via Celesta Capital · filed Mar 2017 · $15M raise

Quantenna CommunicationsBoard seat

via Celesta Capital · filed Aug 2015 · $40.1M raise

Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.

Other disclosed investments

Board seats

Credo

Investor

3d Glass SolutionsAdvanced Micro-Fabrication EquipmentAlcionAmbarellaArteraAsatoAurascapeBangDBC2i SemiconductorsCelestial AI Classiq TechnologiesClockwork SystemsCognichip Contextual AICorintisCredo SemiconductorDataChatDeepscaleDustPhotonicsEngageliEnVervEPIC MicrosystemsEta Compute Ethereal MachinesExostellarGalileo (Acq by Cisco)GenXCommGimlet Labs Gravel Guardrails AIHabanaIneda Systems InnoviumINPHIKatana GraphLaminiLocalizeosNeoCognitionPliops Pokee AIProsimoProtean Tecs RadixArk Sail Research SambaNova Systems SignalrankSiMa.aiSpeedata - The Analytics Processing Unit (APU)SycamoreTileraTogether ComputerTryndbuyTwaiceVariational AIVayyarVdooVirtue AiVoltron Data

Sources: SEC Form D filings · curated public sources.

Colleagues at Celesta Capital

Anand Chandrasekaran

Managing Partner at Celesta Capital

Andrew Kau

Partner at Walden Catalyst

Anita Rehman

Partner at Celesta Capital

Arun Kumar

Managing Partner at Celesta Capital

Blake Williams

Chief Operating Officer - Healthcare Advisory Services; Laboratory + Life Sciences at Transwestern

Charles Lespérance

Partner at Celesta Capital

David Goldman

Partner at Celesta Capital

Dena Porter

Business Operations Manager at Webb Investment Network

Network9

Abhinav AsthanaScout

Chief Technology Officer at Redwood Trust

Albert AzoutScout

Partner at Cota Capital

Anthony LinScout

Head of Intel Capital, Corporate Vice President at Intel Capital

Anu BharadwajScout

President, Atlassian at Operator Collective

Daniel DocterScout

Managing Director at Dell Technologies Capital

Dawn SongScout

Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences; Co-founder, Oasis Labs (Faculty Advisor) at UC Berkeley Skydeck

Eyal NivScout

Managing Partner | First at Pitango

Frank ChangScout

Managing Partner at Flying Fish Ventures

Gil GorenScout

Partner at 83North

Investors connected to Lip-Bu in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Lip-Bu Tan?: Lip-Bu Tan, former Cadence CEO and long‑time semiconductor operator-investor, offers chip founders systems‑level expertise from materials through applications and deep operational credibility across the U.S., Taiwan, China and Southeast Asia.
Where does Lip-Bu Tan work?: Lip-Bu Tan is Founder of Velaura AI and Founding Managing Partner at Celesta Capital and Board director at SambaNova Systems and Board director at Komprise and Board director at Cnex Labs.
What does Lip-Bu Tan invest in?: Lip-Bu Tan invests in AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Data & Infrastructure, Deep Tech, Defense Tech, Hardware, New Materials, Robotics, Semiconductors, Space Tech.
What check size does Lip-Bu Tan write?: Lip-Bu Tan typically writes checks of $500K – $20M.
What companies did Lip-Bu Tan found?: Lip-Bu Tan founded Velaura AI, Walden Catalyst.
What boards does Lip-Bu Tan sit on?: Lip-Bu Tan holds tracked board seats at Cnex Labs, Credo, Movandi RFCMOS for 5G world, Quantenna Communications, Sima Technologies.
What companies has Lip-Bu Tan invested in?: Investments tracked here include 3d Glass Solutions, Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment, Alcion, Ambarella, Artera, Asato, Aurascape, BangDB, C2i Semiconductors, Celestial AI, Classiq Technologies, Clockwork Systems, and 48 more.
Where did Lip-Bu Tan go to school?: Lip-Bu Tan studied at Carnegie Mellon University (Honorary Doctor of Science and Technology); University of San Francisco (Honorary Doctor's Degree, Humane Letters); University of San Francisco (Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)).