Benjamin Ling

Benjamin Ling is a highly experienced venture capitalist and operating executive, serving as an Investment Partner at Khosla Ventures since 2013. His investment focus at the firm spans mobile and internet technologies, marketplace platforms, consumer health, and data-driven businesses, leveraging his extensive background in product leadership at some of the world's most influential tech companies. Prior to his venture capital career, Ling held significant roles at Google, where he was Director of Search Products and later YouTube, and at Facebook, where he served as Director of Product for the Facebook Platform. He also gained valuable operational experience as COO of Badoo and VP of Product at Postmates.

At Khosla Ventures, Ling actively seeks out and supports disruptive companies poised for significant growth. His portfolio reflects a keen eye for innovative business models and strong founding teams. Notable investments and board roles include companies like Postmates (acquired by Uber for $2.65 billion), Block (formerly Square), Affirm, Instacart, Opendoor, GitLab, Vectra AI, and Color Genomics. His deep operational expertise allows him to provide strategic guidance to portfolio companies, helping them navigate product development, market expansion, and scaling challenges.

Khosla Ventures, under the leadership of Vinod Khosla, is renowned for its early-stage investments in groundbreaking technologies, often embracing high-risk, high-reward opportunities. The firm has a substantial capital base, demonstrated by its successful fundraising efforts, including a $1.4 billion fund in 2021 and a $1.5 billion fund in 2023, enabling it to back ambitious ventures across various sectors. Ling's contributions align with Khosla Ventures' ethos of supporting "science experiments" that have the potential to redefine industries.

The firm typically invests across all stages, from seed to growth equity. For initial investments, Khosla Ventures, and by extension Benjamin Ling, can write checks ranging from early seed rounds to leading significant Series A or B rounds. This flexibility allows them to engage with promising startups at their earliest stages while also providing substantial capital for companies ready to scale.