What is Hyphen Nation?

Hyphen Nation refers to those of us who live between cultures and cross the chasm of living in multiple roles and identities. Asian and American. Investor and Founder. Entrepreneur and Activist. I started this newsletter because after giving countless talks, several podcast interviews, I felt like writing was the most scaleable way to share my advice. I am a founder, a father, a producer, an investor, and an activist. I write with the unique perspective of all seeing the world through all of these lenses simultaneously. I am a passionate advocate for the Asian American community as well as uplifting other underrepresented communities.

Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and website. Never miss an update.

About Dave

Dave Lu is a veteran in the technology industry, having worked for over two decades at big tech companies including Yahoo!, Apple, Cisco and eBay and founding two startups, Fanpop (entertainment social network that reached over 40 million monthly visitors) and Expo (formerly Pared) which raised $29M in venture capital from True Ventures, Uncork Capital, CRV and Calibrate to use AI to solve problems for restaurant operators.

In 2011, Dave created a community called Asian American Founders Circle which has grown to over 400 founders including Tony Xu (DoorDash), Steve Chen (YouTube), Kevin Lin (Twitch) and many others. AAFC inspired the launch of Hyphen Capital, a syndicate focused on investing in Asian American founders that has invested nearly $30 million in over 90 startups (over 50% with a female founder). He most recently started a movement with a letter condemning hate crimes against Asians which he co-wrote that was signed by over 8,000 prominent business leaders and influencers including the CEOs of Google, LinkedIn, DoorDash, President George W. Bush, Andre Iguodala, and JJ Abrams. The letter was published as a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal and has led to the launch of Stand with Asian Americans, a non-profit organization committed to fighting discrimination against Asian Americans. He recently produced the Emmy-winning documentary short ‘38 at the Garden’ about NBA player Jeremy Lin that was acquired by HBO. Dave sits on the advisory board of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and The Asia Pacific Fund.

Dave received his bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Speaking Engagements

I do speaking engagements around my work. Topics I discuss range from:

• Betting on Yourself (starting two companies and a venture fund)

• The Asian American experience

• The Bamboo Ceiling

• Starting a Movement and Taking a Stand (The Wall Street Journal Open Letter)

• Producing an Emmy-winning documentary with 38 at the Garden

• The Immigrant Scarcity Mindset

• Building Communities and Networks

• The Rules of Power and How to Use Them

I’ve spoken to many companies, organizations and schools including Google, Microsoft, Marriott, Visa, Pinterest, Pepsi, McDonald’s, Goldman Sachs, Cooley, BCG, YouTube, Autodesk, Grammarly, GoFundMe, Hellman & Friedman, Thumbtack, The University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University

Here are some testimonials:

Our Microsoft Employee Resource Group (ERG) wanted to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM) with a special and unique event this year. We investigated and interviewed a number of external speakers and ended up going with Dave Lu and the event was fantastic! He first grounded the audience with a number of contributions in U.S. history achievements that our community has traditionally not been given credit for, which was great because so many people in the audience were not aware! Dave also spoke to some of the more unfortunate events/policies in U.S. history where our community was specifically targeted and adversely impacted. The “magic” of his presentation; however, was threading together the historical context, current events, community-specific stereotypes, and more common cultural values/mindsets/identity, and how we can leverage learnings across all those intersections in today’s business environments to bust common workplace myths, accelerate career growth, and be the main character in our own journeys – whether that be within a large corporation or blazing your own path! Underpinning the whole conversation was personalized experiences that really resonated with our audience – a true gift to our audience to celebrate AAPIHM!

Peter, Microsoft

I recently had the pleasure of attending a session on busting career myths, specifically those that are prevalent among Asian Americans, and I must say it was a great event. The session resonated with so many people on the call, including myself, and I found it both enlightening and inspiring.

I learned a lot from the experiences shared during the session and picked up several valuable tips that I can implement in my own personal and professional life. The presentation felt very genuine and full of heart, making it even more impactful.

What stood out to me the most were the personal stories and challenges shared with honesty and humor. This candid approach not only made the session relatable but also provided a deeper understanding of the realities faced by many in our community.

I am truly looking forward to future partnerships and sessions like this. Thank you for such a meaningful and engaging experience.

Lavleen, Microsoft

“Dave Lu's fireside chat on Immigrant Scarcity was very enlightening and powerful. He has an amazing way of explaining complex issues clearly and with empathy. His engaging speaking style and deep insights left me wanting to hear more, making him an invaluable voice in raising awareness and fostering understanding.”

Jorge, Marriott

Dave is an open book of powerful stories! Not only has he gone through many career hoops with little to no support system in the AAPI community, but he also dared to start his own entrepreneurial endeavors and spark a movement of AAPI solidarity. By choosing his own path and being the first (if not, one of the first) to stand up against Asian hate and discrimination, he has inspired me and many others at Visa to speak up for our community and build a more purpose-driven life.

Bella, Visa

For speaking engagement inquiries, please complete this form.

Why Subscribe?

You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox.

Join the crew

Be part of a community of people who share your interests.

To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.