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Venture Capital

Ex-Kleiner Perkins, General Catalyst Partners Launch New VC Firm

By
Dan Primack
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By
Dan Primack
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June 21, 2016, 4:20 PM ET
Photographs by Steve Jennings; JEALEX Photo — Getty Images

Trae Vassallo, the former Kleiner Perkins investor whose deals included Nest Labs and Dropcam, has quietly launched a new venture capital firm called Defy.vc, Fortune has learned from multiple sources.

Her partner is Neil Sequeria, a former Bay Area partner with General Catalyst whose deals included Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company. There had been reports last fall that Sequeria was planning to launch a solo firm, and it is unclear exactly when he and Vassallo partnered up.

Defy.vc is seeking to raise around $150 million for its debut fund, which will focus on early-stage connected software companies. Expected a first and final close in September.

Vassallo declined to comment, when reached via phone.

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