VC Victor Lazarte is leaving Benchmark to launch his personal agency

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

Lazarte turned recognized 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 knowledge labeling startup Mercor, AI video intelligence platform HeyGen, and AI infrastructure firm Decart AI.

Lazarte is leaving Benchmark to “construct a brand new funding observe,” he wrote within the submit. He had just lately knowledgeable his portfolio firms about his plans to depart Benchmark, based on a supply.

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

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

Not like most VC corporations, the place senior companions sometimes obtain a higher share of administration charges and income, Benchmark operates as an equal partnership, with all common companions dividing charges and returns equally. Benchmark and Lazarte didn’t instantly reply to our request for extra remark.