Stephen Wemple, Principal at Spero Ventures, shares how he backs mission-driven founders building enduring companies aligned with purpose and profit. From investing in hardware startups like Telo Trucks to backing social impact ventures such as Juno, Stephen explains why conviction and alignment between founders and investors matter more than ever. He reflects on his journey from Fulbright Fellow in Vietnam to venture capitalist in Silicon Valley, the lessons he’s learned from working with founders, and how smaller, concentrated funds like Spero bring focus and depth back to early-stage investing.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

[01:00] - Stephen’s journey from Fulbright Fellow in Vietnam to venture capitalist at Spero Ventures

[04:30] - How Spero spun out of Omidyar Network to back purpose-driven founders

[08:10] - Investing early—with proof points that show real-world traction

[11:10] - Why mission and authenticity matter more than hype in founder evaluation

[14:00] - The story behind Spero’s investment in Juno and the value of long-term relationships

[17:00] - How founders should work with junior investors inside VC firms

[19:00] - Why conviction and alignment matter when founders choose their investors

[22:00] - Stephen’s take on the concentration of capital and the future of small, focused funds

Nonprofit highlight: AchieveKids

About Stephen Wemple

Stephen Wemple is a Principal at Spero Ventures, where he invests in mission-driven founders building companies for a healthier, more sustainable, and fulfilling future. He has led investments across sectors such as healthcare, climate, and frontier technologies, backing founders who combine purpose with commercial ambition.

Stephen began his career in early-stage venture capital, investing in emerging markets across Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. A Fulbright Fellow in Vietnam, he worked with the U.S. State Department to support entrepreneurship initiatives before joining Spero Ventures in its formative years. Stephen believes the best entrepreneurs are those who find and stay true to their mission.

About Spero Ventures

Spero Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based early-stage venture capital firm that backs mission-driven founders building companies for a healthy, sustainable, and fulfilling future. The firm leads or co-leads seed and Series A rounds with $2–4 million investments and maintains a concentrated portfolio to closely support each founder. Its team, which includes former operators from Tesla, eBay, and Stripe, has invested in companies like Juno (child disability insurance), Telo Trucks (electric pickup trucks), Tiny Health (gut health solutions), Euclid Power (renewable energy software), and Gencove (genome sequencing platform), reflecting its belief that purpose-driven startups can create both outsized impact and venture-scale returns.

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