Early Life
Theresia Gouw was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 1968, to parents of Chinese descent. Due to ethnic discrimination during the Suharto era, her family immigrated to the United States when she was three years old. They settled near Buffalo, New York, where her father worked as a dishwasher before requalifying as a dentist. Gouw attended Brown University, graduating in 1990 with a degree in engineering.
Rise to Success
Gouw's career began with a management consulting position at Bain & Company, followed by an MBA from Stanford University in 1996. She co-founded Release Software, a SaaS company, before joining Accel Partners in 1999. Over 15 years, she became the firm's first female partner and played a key role in successful investments, including Trulia and Imperva. In 2014, she co-founded Aspect Ventures. In 2019, she co-founded Acrew Capital, a firm with over $1.7 billion in assets under management.
Key Business Strategies
Gouw's strategy focuses on identifying promising early-stage tech companies. Her investments are often in cybersecurity, fintech, digital health, and enterprise SaaS. Acrew Capital emphasizes diversity and inclusion, with 83% of its founding team being women or people of color.
Philanthropy
Gouw is deeply involved in philanthropy, particularly in supporting education and increasing diversity in STEM fields. She co-founded All Raise, a nonprofit organization, and has also launched the Diversify Capital Fund to boost equity ownership in the tech ecosystem.