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Luciana Lixandru

  • Seed/Early
  • +
  • Growth

I always get asked whether I’d ever start my own company, but I just feel so lucky to be a partner to founders. I hope I’ll get to do it for decades to come.

Backstory

I grew up in a small city in Romania and didn’t travel much—my image of the U.S. came from reading and sitcoms. But for some reason, I got this idea that I wanted to study there, and I got a scholarship to Georgetown. It was an incredible experience, intoxicating in the best way possible, and it changed my life both academically and socially. My best friends to this day, I met in college.

After graduation I was fortunate enough to get a call from a recruiter for an investment firm. Tech investing was love at first sight for me—it was very, very clear that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. I joined Accel in 2011 and was privileged to partner with companies like UiPath that helped define the startup ecosystem in Europe. I never even took coffees with other firms, but I always told my husband, “If Sequoia ever calls, I owe it to myself to at least have the conversation.” When they did, it was to open up a new geography. It just felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

On the lookout for

When I started investing, I didn’t fully understand people who said it was all about the founder. My first questions were always about business model and market. But over the years, I’ve come to turn that around, and I now make more investments than ever at the seed, when the founding team is all that matters.

It’s definitely not about the résumé; I’ve worked with successful founders from all walks of life. There’s always some spark that gets me excited—but it’s not the same for every founder. Sometimes it’s their curiosity; I love it when I introduce them to someone and hear later that they asked a thousand questions. Sometimes it’s that they challenge me. Investors often ask if a founder listens. But honestly, a founder who says “yes” too much concerns me. When they push back, and it’s clear they’ve already thought three steps ahead—those are the smart, independent thinkers I’m most drawn to, and the ones who often do well.

Get in touch with Luciana

Personal Side

  • Friends
  • Entertaining
  • Married life

Press & Media

Companies

Current Companies

Company Name  Short Description Current Stage  Founders First Partnered  collapse
GetirGetir is the pioneer of 10-minute grocery delivery.Growth
  • Serkan Borancılı
  • Mehmed Nazim Salur
  • Tuncay Tütek
Growth (2021)Collapse
LedgyLedgy's platform gives companies, employees and investors insight into equity ownership.Growth
  • Ben Brandt
  • Timo Horstschäefer
  • Yoko Spirig
Early (2021)Collapse
PennylanePennylane is the all-in-one financial and accounting platform for business owners and their CPAs.Growth
  • Tancrede Besnard
  • Felix Blossier
  • Thierry Deo
  • Édouard Mascré
  • Quentin de Metz
  • Alexandre Roquoplo
  • Arthur Waller
Early (2021)Collapse
RobcoRobco rethinks how products are made, using modular robot systems.Growth
  • Constantin Dresel
  • Roman Hölzl
  • Paul Maroldt
Early (2022)Collapse
StripeStripe is building an economic infrastructure for the internet.Growth
  • John Collison
  • Patrick Collison
Pre-Seed/Seed (2010)Collapse
TactoTacto is an AI-based operating system that future proofs supply chains.Early
  • Nico Bentenrieder
  • Johannes Groll
  • André Petry
Early (2023)Collapse
UpwayUpway is a platform for the second-hand purchase, reconditioning and resale of electric bikes. Early
  • Stéphane Ficaja
  • Toussaint Wattinne
Growth (2021)Collapse
VEEDVEED is a browser-based, collaborative and easy-to-use video creation and editing tool. Early
  • Sabba Keynejad
  • Timur Mamedov
Early (2021)Collapse
xentralXentral is a lean ERP cloud software that can bundle all business processes in one place.Growth
  • Benedikt Sauter
  • Claudia Sauter
Early (2021)Collapse