Cyan Banister is an angel investor and entrepreneur known for early bets on category-defining startups including Uber, SpaceX, Postmates, Affirm, Niantic, Thumbtack, and Carta. She is a General Partner at Long Journey Ventures and previously served as a Partner at Founders Fund. Earlier in her career, she was an early employee at IronPort and co-founded Zivity.
Press
Long Journey VenturesTeam — Long Journey VenturesOfficial firm team page confirming Cyan Banister is at Long Journey Ventures and noting she was previously a Partner at Founders Fund.
Cyan BanisterCyan Banister | Ugly DucklingVenture artist, investor, and wanderer. From leaving home at 15 to backing companies like SpaceX, Uber, and Deepmind, I've built a career betting on outsiders, misfits, and ideas too weird to ignore. Co-founder of Zivity, first female partner at Founders Fund, and now leading Long Journey ventures. I believe curiosity is a superpower and the best ideas never look obvious at the start.
TechCrunchCyan Banister joins Founders Fund as partner | TechCrunchCyan Banister, a renowned angel investor and startup founder, has joined Founders Fund. She's the 11-year-old firm's first female investing partner.
TechCrunchCyan Banister leaves Founders Fund for Long Journey Ventures | TechCrunchCyan Banister is leaving Founders Fund to become a member of a new early-stage investment and operations-focused firm called Long Journey Ventures. The
WikipediaCyan Banister - WikipediaSecondary overview source aggregating public references on Banister’s career and investing background; useful as a discovery source, not primary evidence.
MediumI have news to share!First-person post by Cyan Banister announcing her departure from Founders Fund and move to Long Journey Ventures.
- CurrentLong Journey VenturesGeneral Partner
- 2016-03 – 2020Founders FundPartner
- Since 2016ThankrollCo-Founder
- Media / nonprofitSignal Media ProjectCo-founder
- 2006-02 – 2016-03ZivityFounder & Editor-in-Chief
- 2003-10 – 2006-02IronPort SystemsStandards and Practices Manager; Manager of Strategic Support; Senior Manager, Security Operations
- 1999 – 2001NBCUniversalOperations, Systems Administration, Development Support
- 2007 – 2016-03ZivityFounder & Editor-in-Chief
- 2003 – 2006IronPort SystemsManagerial roles in security operations and support
- TransportationUberRide-hailing and mobility platform.
- AerospaceSpaceXSpace transportation and aerospace company.
- DeliveryPostmatesOn-demand delivery marketplace.
- FintechAffirmConsumer financial technology and buy-now-pay-later platform.
- GamingNianticAugmented reality and gaming company.
- MarketplaceThumbtackLocal services marketplace connecting customers with professionals.
- FintechCartaEquity management and cap table software company.
Cyan Banister is one of the best-known angel investors in Silicon Valley, with a track record of backing breakout technology companies at the earliest stages and a career spanning startup operations, entrepreneurship, and venture investing.