Lan Xuezhao
VCFounder & Managing Partner, Basis Set Ventures
AI-focused founder-turned-VC, PhD background
Background
Lan Xuezhao founded Basis Set Ventures in 2017, building it into one of the largest early-stage AI-focused funds started by a solo woman, with $300M+ AUM across multiple funds (including a $250M Fund IV announced in January 2026). Before venture, she led Corporate Development and Strategy at Dropbox during its most acquisitive period, and prior to that managed consulting teams at McKinsey advising on big data, AI, and growth strategy across New York and Shanghai. She holds an M.A. in Statistics and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Michigan.
Investment Thesis
Investing in early-stage founders harnessing AI and automation to enable step-change productivity gains in enterprise and infrastructure software.
Investment Focus
Stages
Typical check: $1M–$5M
Sectors
Based in: San Francisco, CA, USA (North America)