Himalaya Capital Ventures

Himalaya Capital Ventures is the venture capital arm of Himalaya Capital, a value investing firm founded by Li Lu in 1997 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Li Lu, a Columbia University triple-degree holder (BA, JD, MBA) and disciple of Benjamin Graham, Warren Buffett, and Charles Munger, launched two dedicated venture funds: HCV I in 2000 and HCV II in 2003, together totaling over $50 million in capital. Li Lu is also known as the investor who introduced Chinese battery and electric vehicle manufacturer BYD Company to Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett, with his partnership owning approximately 2.5% of BYD. The venture funds invested in the $10 to $50 million range in US-based companies across information technology, B2B, SaaS, and media sectors, leading rounds at Series A and Series B stages. Known portfolio companies include Aereo, aMedia, Knovel (application software), 7thonline (business and productivity software), and ClubMom (information services). The venture portfolio produced one IPO and two acquisitions. The VC arm has been largely inactive in recent years as Himalaya Capital's primary focus shifted to public equities, where it now manages approximately $3.57 billion concentrated in companies across Asia and North America. Himalaya Capital serves university endowments, foundations, family offices, and pension plans. The partnership is generally closed to new investors. Li Lu serves as a trustee of the California Institute of Technology, is a co-founder of The Asian American Foundation, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a former trustee of Columbia University.