Current Role | Managing Partner, GGV Capital |
Previous Position | Jet Engine Engineer, ST Aerospace | Venture Partner, JAFCO Asia |
Key Recognition | Forbes Midas List Hall of Fame | Financial Times Top 25 Most Influential Women of the Decade |
Background and Early Foundations
Jenny Lee was born and raised in Singapore, where she graduated from Cornell University with a degree in electrical engineering and earned her MBA from Kellogg School of Management. She began her career designing military jet engines — a foundation that shaped her analytical edge and engineering mindset.
After pivoting to venture capital in the early 2000s, Jenny became one of the first investors to bridge the U.S. and China tech ecosystems. She joined GGV Capital in 2005 and rose to become Managing Partner, overseeing over $9 billion in assets.
Today, the Jenny Lee GGV story represents one of Asia’s most influential forces in tech investing and startup globalization.
Career Milestones and Impact
Year | Achievement |
|---|---|
2005 | Joined GGV Capital as Partner, establishing its China office |
2015 | First woman ranked in top 10 of Forbes Midas List |
2022 | Inducted into Forbes Midas List Hall of Fame |
2024 | Led multi-market funds in deep tech, edtech, and AI across U.S.-China-Southeast Asia |
- Notable Portfolio: Xiaomi, Didi Chuxing, Grab, Alibaba, Boss Zhipin
- Active Markets: China, Singapore, Southeast Asia, U.S.
- Fund Size Managed: $9.2 billion AUM (as of 2025)
- Board Roles: Oversees 15+ unicorn companies globally
Leadership Style and Influence
Jenny Lee is known for her technical rigor, cross-border clarity, and fearless conviction:
- A rare VC with an engineering-first lens for evaluating founders and business models
- Invested early in Chinese consumer tech and Southeast Asia’s mobile-first economy
- A mentor to female founders and minority-led startups, quietly championing inclusion in VC
She has helped shape the capital flow between Silicon Valley and Asia — long before “global capital” became the norm.
Legacy and Future Focus
Jenny Lee’s legacy lies in shaping the Asian VC playbook before it existed. She:
- Advocated for China-U.S. dual expansion before it became mainstream
- Backed category leaders in consumer apps, AI, and hardware in their earliest stages
- Promoted a culture of founder discipline, not valuation hype
Her next chapter focuses on:
- Backing hard tech and climate-focused entrepreneurs
- Strengthening Southeast Asia’s Series A+ funding infrastructure
- Supporting ethical governance as VC influence deepens across AI
