Laurie Yoler
VCVenture Partner, Playground Global
Tesla founding director investing in deep tech
Palo Alto, CA1 notable investments
SeedSeries ASeries B+
HardwareDeep TechAIRoboticsClimateInfrastructure
Background
Laurie Yoler is a Venture Partner at Playground Global who was a founding investor and board member at Tesla Motors for nearly a decade, and an early strategic advisor at Zoox (acquired by Amazon for over $1.2B). She was President of Qualcomm Labs before moving into early-stage ventures full-time, joining as founding team member at six companies. She views autonomy as a horizontal capability across ground, air, sea, and space.
Investment Thesis
Back deep tech companies in autonomous systems, energy, and next-gen computing with hands-on board-level engagement.
Investment Focus
Stages
SeedSeries ASeries B+
Sectors
HardwareDeep TechAIRoboticsClimateInfrastructure
Based in: Palo Alto, CA (North America)
Notable Investments
Last updated: Jun 11, 2026