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Warren Shaeffer
Partner
“The danger for most founders isn’t that they aim too high and miss, but that they aim too low and reach their target. Dream big about the future you truly want to see.”

Warren is a Partner on the investing team focused on consumer investments and Pear’s small-batch accelerator, PearX. He’s obsessed with helping early-stage founders increase their odds of success.
Prior to Pear, was an angel investor and scout for a16z, and a Vice President at Medium. Warren joined Medium through the acquisition of his most recent startup, Knowable, an audio-first learning platform.
Before starting Knowable, Warren was the Co-founder and CEO of Vidme, which scaled to over 30M monthly users and was backed by NEA (acquired by Giphy).
Warren is a graduate of Harvard. He lives in the Bay Area with his wife, Grey, and their three kids.
Outside of work you’ll find me…
When I’m not spending time with my kids, I love playing any racquet sport, hiking, swimming, and reading great books (fiction + nonfiction). One of my favorite questions to ask people is what have you read lately that’s improved your life?
What is your most used emoji?
📈 I believe that through hard work things move in a positive direction over the long run, even if there are reversals along the way. Sometimes you have to go into the valley to get to a higher peak.
What’s your favorite book?
Can’t pick just one! Fiction: Interpreter of Maladies, Anna Karenina, Wind, Sand, and Stars by Antoine de Saint Exupery. Non-fiction: Thinking in Bets, The Venture Mindset, and anything by Thich Nicht Nhan.
What career path did you want to pursue when you were a kid?
My first job was running a lemonade stand – we also sold cookies and fruit to increase our ARPU 😊 – and I’ve enjoyed helping build businesses ever since.
What are your favorite sports teams?
I love playing sports but don’t regularly find the time to watch. I’m happy if your team wins!
Previously
Scout at a16z
Vice President at Medium
CEO and Co-founder of Knowable (Backed by a16z, acquired by Medium)
CEO and Co-founder of Vidme (Backed by NEA, Acquired by Giphy)
COO of SocialEngine (Acquired)
Interested in
I’m a lucky beneficiary of the American dream – my parents immigrated from Eastern Europe a few years before I was born – and nothing excites me more than working with founders who are expanding privilege and opportunity for people around the world. The founders I’m drawn to most are the ones who look at the status quo, see its cracks, and can’t help but try to break through walls to make things better.
Consumer-first startups have the potential to drive some of the biggest outcomes in tech, but they also come with the highest levels of difficulty. The failure rate is daunting, and the path to success requires more than just ambition – it demands a bias for action, a clear-eyed view of the challenges ahead, and an ability to inspire others with a deep, intrinsic drive.
As a repeat consumer founder, I’ve seen firsthand how tough it is to cut through the noise and build something lasting. My goal is to be the partner you turn to when the odds feel insurmountable – to help you navigate the challenges and build a business that defines a generation (and gives you bragging rights with your grandkids).