Fundraising Fox

Spencer Maughan

Investor

Managing Partner at DYDX Capital

Palo Alto, California

Writes $250K – $8M checks · typically $2.5M

About

Spencer Maughan is the Founder and Managing Partner of DYDX, leading its Silicon Valley office. He previously worked as an entrepreneur-in-residence at KPCB with its Green Growth Fund and as an investor at Venrock, where his team backed companies including Nest Labs, Lucid Motors, and Phononic Devices. He holds a BSc and PhD in Genetics from the University of Melbourne, was a Marie Curie fellow at the University of Cambridge, and earned an MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. His investment work centers on data-driven technology companies.

Contact· self-published, not guessed

Invests in

Data & Infrastructure

Experience

  1. DYDX CapitalFounder & Managing Partnercurrent2021 — presentSilicon Valley
  2. University of MelbourneVisiting Fellowcurrent2025 — present
  3. Cime TherapeuticsInvestorcurrent2025 — present
  4. Citrine InformaticsInvestorcurrent2023 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
  5. MatterworksInvestorcurrent2023 — presentCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  6. Apparo Inc.Investorcurrent2022 — presentMinnesota, United States
  7. Applied CarbonInvestorcurrent2022 — presentSilicon Valley, California, United States
  8. MarketDialDirectorcurrent2021 — presentSalt Lake City, Utah, United States
  9. Drip CapitalInvestorcurrent2021 — presentPalo Alto, California, United States
  10. Berkeley YeastInvestorcurrent2021 — presentBerkeley, California, United States
  11. ClimateAIBoard Observercurrent2021 — present
  12. Territory FoodsInvestorcurrent2021 — present
  13. ProducePayInvestorcurrent2021 — presentLos Angeles, California, United States
  14. EnkoDirectorcurrent2020 — presentMassachusetts, United States
  15. TovalaDirectorcurrent2020 — presentChicago, Illinois, United States
  16. American Australian AssociationAmerican Australian Business Council - Membercurrent2018 — presentNew York City Metropolitan Area
  17. InnitInvestorcurrent2018 — present
  18. PRIME CoalitionInvestment Advisory Committee Membercurrent2016 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
  19. Duke UniversityVisiting Professor2018 — 2025Durham, North Carolina, United States
  20. Good EggsInvestor2020 — 2024San Francisco Bay Area
  21. Hi Fidelity GeneticsCo-founder & Chairman2013 — 2023Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area
  22. United States Studies Centre at the University of SydneyVisiting Fellow2018 — 2023Greater Sydney Area
  23. CSIROAdvisory Board Member2018 — 2023Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
  24. TeleSenseDirector2018 — 2022Sunnyvale
  25. Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)Catalyst2010 — 2019Greater Madison Area
  26. Kleiner Perkins Caufield & ByersEIR - Green Growth Fund2013 — 2014Menlo Park
  27. Southern Cross Venture PartnersAdvisory Board Member2011 — 2014Palo Alto
  28. VenrockVice President2009 — 2013
  29. VenrockConsultant2008 — 2009
  30. VenrockSummer Intern2008
  31. University of CambridgeMarie Curie Fellow2003 — 2007

Skills & more

Strategy16Energy2Lifesciences17Venture Capital48Private Equity12Entrepreneurship35Due Diligence5Financial Modeling5Valuation4Start-ups36Corporate Development14Mergers
+9 moreInvestmentsStrategic PartnershipsFinancial ServicesProduct ManagementBusiness DevelopmentMobile DevicesInvestor RelationsFinancial AnalysisBiotechnology

From Spencer's professional profile.

Colleagues at DYDX Capital

Adrian Percy
Venture Partner at DYDX Capital
Dean Tilyard
Partner at DYDX Capital
Garrett Miller
Head of Marketing at DYDX Capital
Jesse Windle
Chief Data Scientist at DYDX Capital
Kirk Belsby
Head of Operations & Finance at DYDX Capital
Mike Pereira
Venture Partner at DYDX Capital
Paul Ciriello
Partner at DYDX Capital
Pavel Danilov
Partner at DYDX Capital

Frequently asked questions

Who is Spencer Maughan?
Spencer Maughan is the Founder and Managing Partner of DYDX, leading its Silicon Valley office. He previously worked as an entrepreneur-in-residence at KPCB with its Green Growth Fund and as an investor at Venrock, where his team backed companies including Nest Labs, Lucid Motors, and Phononic Devices. He holds a BSc and PhD in Genetics from the University of Melbourne, was a Marie Curie fellow at the University of Cambridge, and earned an MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. His investment work centers on data-driven technology companies.
Where does Spencer Maughan work?
Spencer Maughan is Managing Partner at DYDX Capital.
What does Spencer Maughan invest in?
Spencer Maughan invests in Data & Infrastructure.
What check size does Spencer Maughan write?
Spencer Maughan typically writes checks of $250K – $8M.
Where did Spencer Maughan go to school?
Spencer Maughan studied at Stanford University Graduate School of Business (MBA); University of Melbourne (PhD, Genetics); University of Melbourne (BSc (Hons), Genetics and Biochemistry).

Same school

Also attended Stanford University Graduate School of Business1,388

Roelof BothaAdvisor & former Steward at Sequoia Capital; SpaceX board memberPeter FentonGeneral Partner at BenchmarkSteve JurvetsonCo-founder of Future VenturesDavid SzeAdvisory Partner at GreylockKatherine BoyleGeneral Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (American Dynamism)Hunter WalkCo-founder & Partner at Homebrew

+ 1,382 more

Also attended University of Melbourne231

Cameron AdamsCo-founder & Chief Product Officer of CanvaKevin JohnsonInvestor at MedicxiEsther GilmoreGlobal Head of the Client Team at Generation Investment ManagementMark MillsClient Team Member at Generation Investment ManagementPaulInvestor at Square Peg CapitalClarissa KartikaAssociate, Investment at Vertex Ventures Sea Management Pte. Ltd.

+ 225 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Cime Therapeutics9

Ryan NicholsPartner at DYDX CapitalSteve GoldbergPartner at DYDX CapitalDean TilyardPartner at DYDX CapitalPaul CirielloPartner at DYDX CapitalAdrian PercyVenture Partner at DYDX CapitalMike PereiraVenture Partner at DYDX Capital

+ 3 more

Also worked at Applied Carbon11

Joshua PosamentierManaging Partner and Co-Founder at Congruent VenturesRyan NicholsPartner at DYDX CapitalSteve GoldbergPartner at DYDX CapitalDean TilyardPartner at DYDX CapitalPaul CirielloPartner at DYDX CapitalAdrian PercyVenture Partner at DYDX Capital

+ 5 more

Also worked at Tovala19

Ryan EngelFounder & Managing Partner at Cade VenturesJ.R. MoranChief Operating Officer at New Stack VenturesJason HeltzerManaging Partner at Origin VenturesScott SternPartner at Origin VenturesJason FiedlerManaging Partner at Left Lane CapitalArthur ChowPrincipal at S2G Investments

+ 13 more

Also worked at American Australian Association9

Ryan NicholsPartner at DYDX CapitalSteve GoldbergPartner at DYDX CapitalDean TilyardPartner at DYDX CapitalPaul CirielloPartner at DYDX CapitalAdrian PercyVenture Partner at DYDX CapitalMike PereiraVenture Partner at DYDX Capital

+ 3 more