cover art for Beyond the Breakthrough featuring Douglas Hansen-Luke

Douglas Hansen-Luke launched Future Planet Capital in 2015 after researching the then-nascent university venturing scene. Over the past seven years, he has built an impact-led global innovation investment platform active in ecosystems around Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Oxford and others around the world, partnering with local players like the E14 Fund, Xfund and Berkeley Skydeck.

Hansen-Luke tells us why Future Planet Capital focuses on these ecosystems and why they are so good at what they do. He also reveals the surprising reason the firm is no longer active in China (spoiler: it isn’t the current geopolitical climate).

He also talks about the changes he’s seen over the past few years and ponders why one portfolio company, in particular, means he isn’t too upset about an unsuccessful attempt at becoming a politician.

Subscribe

Thierry Heles

Thierry Heles is editor-at-large of Global University Venturing and Global Corporate Venturing, and host of the Beyond the Breakthrough podcast.