Rick Yang is NEA's Head of Technology who joined straight from Credit Suisse in 2007 and rose through the ranks over nearly two decades, representing an unusual "grow up in one firm" career path that gives him deep continuity with NEA's culture. He focuses on the intersection of consumer behavior and financial infrastructure, leading investments in companies like Plaid, Robinhood, MasterClass, and BeReal, and is known for his thesis around bringing consumer-grade experiences to traditionally opaque markets like healthcare and financial services.

• Valuing product velocity and execution speed above almost everything else. He frequently praises portfolio companies like Slash and Plaid specifically for their pace of innovation and their ability to ship value-creating features to customers quickly, even during difficult market conditions.
• Enthusiastic about the intersection of consumer technology, AI, and gaming. He holds a specific thesis that the market is moving toward a future where everyone is gaming-native, and he has championed companies like Genies for creating digital identities and Genmo for their open-source AI advancements.
• Deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the startup ecosystem. He actively supports organizations like Gold House and All Raise, often sharing personal reflections on his upbringing as an Asian American in Texas to advocate for the AAPI community and the importance of diverse board representation.
• A focus on the human element of founder-investor partnerships. He consistently frames his involvement as a privilege to support the team, publicly celebrating the hard work of founders and his co-investors, such as the teams at Slash and Veelarco, rather than taking credit himself.
• Personal interests that serve as distinct rapport builders. He is a dedicated supporter of the Dallas Mavericks and has engaged with web3 culture, jokingly using a Bored Ape Yacht Club theme for a birthday celebration.