# Steven Lee

> Steven Lee is a Venture Partner and founding member of Draper Athena (DFJ Athena), where he focuses on deep-tech investments spanning agricultural productivity, biomanufacturing, and automation. An MIT-trained electrical engineer with a US patent in internet-based audio transmission, he bridges the worlds of hands-on technology and venture capital. Before co-founding Draper Athena, he led US investments for STIC International, a global VC fund operating across the US, China, and Korea, and worked at Athena Technology Ventures, Chromatic Research, and InVision Interactive. With over 13 years of engineering and startup experience before entering venture, Steven brings rare technical depth to the table at one of Silicon Valley's most storied VC lineages.

- **Role:** Venture Partner at DFJ (Draper Athena)
- **Organizations:** DFJ, Draper Athena, STIC International, Athena Technology Ventures, Chromatic Research, InVision Interactive
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- **Known for:** Founding member and Venture Partner of Draper Athena (DFJ Athena), Holds a US patent in internet-based audio transmission, Led US investment team at STIC International, a multi-geography VC fund

## Career timeline

- **1986-1991** — Studied Electrical Engineering (B.S. and M.S.) at MIT
- **Early 1990s** — Worked at InVision Interactive in early software/multimedia development
- **Mid-1990s** — Joined Chromatic Research, a semiconductor company
- **Late 1990s-2000s** — Partner at Athena Technology Ventures, focusing on software and hardware startups
- **2000s** — Head of US investment team at STIC International, global VC fund (US, China, Korea)
- **2010s** — Co-founded Draper Athena (DFJ Athena) as a founding Venture Partner
- **Present** — Venture Partner at DFJ Athena, leading technology evaluation and deep-tech investments

## Achievements

- Founding member and Venture Partner of Draper Athena (DFJ Athena)
- Holds a US patent in internet-based audio transmission
- Led US investment team at STIC International, a multi-geography VC fund
- 13+ years of hands-on experience with software, semiconductor, and hardware startups
- Backed portfolio companies including Farm-ng, Agriful Software, and Nexstera Tech

## Latest updates

- **2025-05** — DFJ raised its latest fund of $1.2B, continuing its legacy as one of Silicon Valley's pioneering venture firms
- **2024** — Draper Athena continues to invest in agtech, biomanufacturing, and automation companies

## Links

- Website: https://dfj.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-lee-266b604

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/steven-lee
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-09