Arsham Memarzadeh

There are select moments that define a company's trajectory. I've learned the importance of zooming out of the minutiae to help founders identify those moments.

Born the son of an Iranian immigrant and entrepreneur, Arsham developed an early appreciation for the resilience and ingenuity required to win, even when all the cards are stacked against you. “Building a company requires countless instances of running through, breaking down, and climbing over walls,” said Arsham. “Entrepreneurs are a rare breed and in a league of their own. Working alongside them, enabling their success, is what makes my day-to-day rewarding.”

Arsham joined Lightspeed’s growth practice in 2019 to invest in product-driven software companies. He has a passion for evolving distribution models and believes the best companies find GTM leverage out of the product itself. “Consumerization of the enterprise has just as much to do with evolving sales motions as it does with building better products,” said Arsham. “Historically, company-building has been bifurcated into product development and product distribution. The next generation of great software companies will combine those worlds.”

Before moving West, Arsham spent five years in Boston at the expansion stage venture firm, OpenView. He’s backed companies across three continents, in unlikely geographies and led by unassuming entrepreneurs, so it’s no surprise that Lightspeed’s global platform was part of what drew him to the firm.

“I love finding great companies that might not follow popular narratives or be the golden child of Silicon Valley,” said Arsham. “I wholeheartedly believe innovation extends beyond the confines of the Bay Area.” Prior to investing, Arsham was a growth consultant, advising SaaS companies and helping analyze market and customer data to define product and GTM strategies.

Arsham studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University and is an active member of the school’s Entrepreneurship Advisory Council. When he’s not working, you can usually find him exploring all things outdoors or doing his best to not burn down the kitchen while cooking.