Mark is a Partner at Index Ventures, investing across all stages in cybersecurity, infrastructure, and AI. He looks to partner with technical founders who demonstrate exceptional degrees of domain expertise, hustle, and customer obsession.
Prior to joining Index, Mark was a growth investor at Lightspeed, where he invested in and supported companies like Wiz, Glean, Grafana, and others. He studied mathematics, economics, and computer science at Harvard and before that played violin at Juilliard.
Originally from Boston, Mark grew up in Connecticut and now lives in NYC. He enjoys being a Boston sports fan, playing pick-up basketball and squash, being a foodie, and obsessing over new health trends.
How did your experience as a child of immigrants shape who you are today?
My parents came to the U.S. from China with $50 in their pocket. They didn’t speak much English but had immense amounts of grit and determination. They taught me by example to hustle, work hard, and never take anything for granted. My mom’s favorite saying was, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” Whatever I’ve done in my life, I’ve always given it everything I have. That includes working with founders and doing everything I can to help them win.
You’re a published cancer researcher, a Juilliard-trained violinist, and a Harvard grad in math, economics, and computer science. How does that interdisciplinary background help you as an investor?
What I love most about investing is the privilege to learn from and partner with founders who are experts in their field. I bring my own knowledge and experience, but I’m also intellectually curious and eager to learn. Whatever my founder’s business is, I will commit to deeply understanding the space, not just because it’s my job to but because it interests me, and I want to be a thought partner to them.
The same applies to company-building. There are so many stages to building a company, from developing a product to understanding your customers to GTM and growth. The same way you learn a concerto by breaking it down into smaller parts and tackling and refining each one, building a company happens piece by piece, with its own challenges and learning opportunities. I’m eager to put in the work, ask questions, and do whatever it takes.
What qualities do you look for in a founder?
Hustle, empathy, obsession. I’m drawn to founders who are passionate about solving real problems for real people, who have an innate urge to understand their customers, and who will do whatever it takes to achieve their vision. Right now, especially in AI, I think the most successful founders will be those who work the hardest, ship the fastest, and want to win the most. And that takes staying pragmatic and grounded despite the hype, embracing customer feedback, and honing execution while staying true to the vision.
How do you approach working with and supporting founders?
For me, it’s all about building authentic relationships. I want my founders to know I’ll be in their corner every step of the way and work harder than anyone else. I’ve been lucky to have mentors who gave me the freedom to run but gave direction when it mattered. That’s the kind of partner I try to be for founders. I’m not afraid to offer ideas or challenge them if I think it may help—but ultimately, the founder is the hero of their journey. My job is to support them, hustle alongside them, provide a different lens, and earn their trust so that I’m their first phone call when the time comes.