Forming the Fund

Lindel Eakman, Partner at the Foundry Group, and Lo Toney, Founding Managing Partner at Plexo Capital, discuss the importance of having a clearly defined investment thesis.

About Lindel Eakman

Lindel has been investing in venture-backed companies and venture firms for nearly two decades, building an extensive network of limited partners, venture capitalists, and founders. He is a sought-after mentor to emerging managers, advising on fundraising strategy, portfolio construction, firm-building, and navigating the ups and downs of venture capital. Lindel institutionalized Foundry’s partner fund strategy and works closely with partner fund managers, while also leading new fund investments. He is actively involved with Foundry’s direct investment strategy, working with existing portfolio companies and leading new investments alongside the firm’s partner funds. Prior to joining Foundry, he managed the private investment program for the University of Texas Investment Management Company (UTIMCO). At UTIMCO, Lindel developed his love for early-stage investing as he built the endowment’s venture capital program. He was fortunate to sponsor early investments in many of the now leading venture capital firms including IA Ventures, True Ventures, Union Square Ventures, and, of course, Foundry Group. Lindel received his MBA from the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business and his BBA in accounting and finance at Texas Christian University. He is a CPA and a CFA charter holder.

About Lo Toney

Lo is the Founding Managing Partner at Plexo Capital, an institutional investment firm he incubated and spun out from GV (Google Ventures). Plexo Capital invests in emerging seed-stage VCs led by diverse teams and invests directly into companies sourced from the portfolios of VCs where Plexo Capital has an investment. Investors in Plexo Capital include Alphabet (holding company of Google), Intel Capital, Cisco Investment, the Royal Bank of Canada, Kapor Capital, the Hampton University Endowment (Cambridge Associates client) and the Ford Foundation.