VC Victor Lazarte is leaving Benchmark to launch his personal agency | TechCrunch

After two years as a enterprise capitalist for high shelf agency Benchmark, Victor Lazarte is leaving that firm to start out his personal investing gig, he introduced on X on Thursday.

Lazarte grew to become identified in tech for co-founding cell gaming firm Wildlife Studios, which was final valued at an estimated $3 billion in 2020. Wildlife raised cash from a mess of VCs, together with Benchmark.

Throughout his two years at Benchmark, Lazarte invested in recruiting and information labeling startup Mercor, AI video intelligence platform HeyGen, and AI infrastructure firm Decart AI.

Lazarte is leaving Benchmark to “construct a brand new funding follow,” he wrote within the submit. He had not too long ago knowledgeable his portfolio corporations about his plans to depart Benchmark, in accordance with a supply.

Lazarte is the second investor to step down from Benchmark’s partnership this 12 months. Sarah Tavel, introduced in April that she is transitioning to a enterprise associate.

After Lazarte’s departure remaining companions on the storied agency embrace Peter Fanton, Eric Vishria, and Chetan Puttagunta.

In contrast to most VC companies, the place senior companions usually obtain a better share of administration charges and earnings, Benchmark operates as an equal partnership, with all basic companions dividing charges and returns equally. Benchmark and Lazarte didn’t instantly reply to our request for added remark.