Lawrence Bender
About Lawrence Bender
Lawrence Bender is a film producer. He was born in the Bronx, New York, and is a University of Maine alumnus. He rose to prominence by producing Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992). He has since produced Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, and Inglourious Basterds. He also produced Good Will Hunting and the documentary An Inconvenient Truth, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
His films have received three Best Picture nominations: Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting and Inglourious Basterds. His Crunchbase bio cites 29 Academy Award nominations and six wins. Wikipedia gives higher totals of 36 nominations and eight wins. He also produced the documentary Countdown to Zero, about nuclear proliferation.
Bender is active in social and political causes. In 2003 he co-founded the Detroit Project, which targeted gas-guzzling SUVs. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Pacific Council. His X profile lists him as co-chair of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and a founding member of Global Zero. Crunchbase lists his location as New York, while his bio and X profile place him in Los Angeles. Crunchbase shows no companies founded by him.
Crunchbase lists one personal investment and one portfolio company for Bender. It shows no lead investments. The counts include one exit, and the profile does not show which company it refers to. The one investment on record is a Series B in Philz Coffee. The date and amount were not visible in the public view of the profile. He has not published an investing thesis, check size or fund size that I could find.
No public statements from Bender describe the stage, sectors or check size he prefers. The only recorded investment is in a consumer food and beverage company at Series B, not in software or AI. Founders should not infer an AI focus from the public record. Much of his public work is in film production, climate and environmental causes, nuclear risk, and political fundraising. His bio says he spends much of his time hosting fundraisers for political and social causes.
- Philz Coffee: coffee retailer. Crunchbase records a Series B investment by Bender; the date and amount were not visible.
Investing activity
Lawrence Bender has made 1 investment according to Crunchbase across 1 portfolio company, and has seen 1 exit.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about Lawrence Bender
Is Lawrence Bender an AI investor?
There is no public record of an AI investment by him. Crunchbase lists one personal investment, in Philz Coffee, which is not an AI company.
What stage does Lawrence Bender invest in?
The only recorded investment is a Series B round. He has not published a stage preference, so a stage focus cannot be confirmed.
What is Lawrence Bender's check size?
His check size is not public. I found no statement from him and no amount in the visible Crunchbase data.
Who is Lawrence Bender?
He is an American film producer whose credits include Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, Inglourious Basterds and An Inconvenient Truth. He is also a political and environmental activist.
Where is Lawrence Bender based?
Crunchbase lists New York, New York. His bio and X profile say Los Angeles, which he calls home.
How can founders contact Lawrence Bender?
He has a personal site at lawrencebender.com, an X account (@LawrenceKBender) and a LinkedIn profile. His public work centers on film and advocacy, so he may not be a fit for an AI pitch.
Is Lawrence Bender an angel investor?
Yes. Lawrence Bender invests personally as an angel. Crunchbase counts 1 investment and 1 exit.
How can founders reach Lawrence Bender?
Founders on Lounge can see Lawrence Bender's contact details in AI Investor Contacts (paid plans), check for a warm introduction through members who worked with them under Warm Paths, and add Lawrence Bender to their Investor Pipeline to track the conversation.