Dolby Family Ventures
Family office venture fund investing in deep tech companies across audio, imaging, and computing.
Dolby Family Ventures is the real deal - a single family office that actually operates like a proper institutional fund, not some rich family's pet project. As a family organization, they can make 'Yes-or-no' decisions much faster than many large VC funds, which is a genuine competitive advantage. Pascal Levensohn brings serious pedigree from decades of venture investing, while David Dolby's technical background and direct connection to the Dolby legacy gives them credibility with deep-tech founders. Their laser focus on neurodegeneration isn't just marketing - it's personal mission work with serious capital behind it. The red flag? They backed Athira Pharma, which paid a $4 million settlement in 2025 for CEO research misconduct allegations - though this reflects more on due diligence challenges in biotech than fund quality.
- —Best for: Hard tech and neurodegeneration startups that need patient capital and technical expertise
- —Watch out for: They're thesis-driven and won't stretch beyond their focus areas
- —Known for: Fast decision-making and continuing to back winners in follow-on rounds
Investing in early-stage companies solving the biggest science and engineering challenges since 2014. The fund honors the legacy of Ray Dolby and his commitment to engineers and their vision to solve the world's toughest problems.
It primarily invests in Series A round in United States based startups, though also does seed investing. The firm prefers to invest in biotechnology, neuroscience, life sciences, information technology software, security, connected devices, digital deep tech, aerospace, and climate tech sectors. In biotech, they are exclusively focused on neurodegeneration, with sub-sectors in Neuromodulation, Clinical Depression, and disease modifying therapeutics for Alzheimer's Disease.
Pascal joined Dolby Family Ventures, L.P. in 2014 after advising the Dolby family on its direct technology investment portfolio since 2012. He is the founder and Managing Partner of Levensohn Venture Partners LLC (LVP). A 1981 Harvard graduate who began his career at Bankers Trust and became a risk arbitrageur at First Boston Corporation in 1983. Levensohn's no-nonsense outsider approach has proven to be a hugely fruitful strategy.
David Dolby is Managing Director/Founder at Dolby Family Ventures LP. Under Ray Dolby's mentorship, David has developed a strong skill set to identify tough problems worth solving and ways to change the world through technology and media. David has a BSE in Civil Engineering from Duke University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. David has been a member of the Dolby board of directors since 2011.
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