Laura Buhler

Marketing leader @ Stripe | Founder advocate | Community strategist

I lead global startup marketing and community strategy at Stripe.Previously, as Partner and first Head of Community at Felicis, I built our first community platform and launched partnerships, programs and event experiences to grow and engage our AI/ML network.Prior to my time at Felicis, I spent 6 years as CEO of the C100, a global tech nonprofit community that supports Canadian founders with investment and mentorship. C100’s cohort-based founder Fellowship, online Slack community, and programs activating tech executives from companies like Meta, Google, Shopify, and Cloudflare led to our scaling the C100 across major tech hubs. C100's early-stage Fellowship companies have raised over $5B in venture funding and created over $15B in market value.I spent the earlier years of my career in several roles at Gilt Groupe, a Series D startup backed by Softbank and General Atlantic. My team and I worked across product, engineering, creative, and marketing to launch new, revenue-driving businesses, including product partnerships in payments (MasterCard, Affirm, American Express).I’m an active angel investor and have held formal advisory roles in two early-stage venture capital firms.

📍 Current location: San Francisco Bay Area

work

Enabling entrepreneurship is one of the core motivating missions of my career.I build products and programs that serve entrepreneurs building the future in AI/ML, financial services, SaaS, and commerce.I am learning the craft of product marketing at Stripe, where I lead our global marketing efforts to reach the venture-backed startup segment. I have worked with technology founders both as a VC and as the former leader of global tech nonprofit, the C100.I have held roles across GTM in product marketing, community, business development, partnerships, and growth.

  • Stripe, Head of Startup Marketing & Head of Community Programs (current)

  • Felicis, Partner & Head of Community (2023-2024)

  • The C100, CEO, 2016-2022

  • Gilt Groupe, Growth, Performance Marketing, BD, Strategy, Strategic Partnerships, 2012-2016

  • McKinsey & Co., Business Analyst, then Project Manager @ WEF (Secondee), 2008, 2009-2012

board & nonprofit

Investing & Advisory

  • Boardy.ai - voice AI network "super-connector" (Investor)

  • Maple VC - pre-seed venture fund backing global Canadians (Limited Partner)

  • Pivot Subscriptions - circular economy, manufacturing, resilience (Investor)

  • Accrue Savings - solving for the American household debt crisis (Investor)

  • Luge Capital - fintech-focused VC fund that invests in early-stage companies in Canada (Investment Committee "IC" member)

  • LMNT.vc - seed fund backing robotics and industrial tech (Advisor)

What I really like to do

  • Inspire people around a mission, vision, and goals

  • Hire, lead, and work on teams of positive, hard-working, growth-mindset people

  • Connect founders with well-aligned investors, customers, and other startup people

  • Produce and host differentiated events that deepen relationships

  • Do analyses and make charts to tell stories with data

  • Learn new software skills and no-code apps for automation & productivity

Interviews I've done

Interviews I've led or hosted

Operating principles at work

  • Lead with magnetism, positivity, and transparency

  • Learn constantly. Never ossify.

  • Autonomy is earned through accountability (to people, to commitments, to deadlines)

  • Directness is kindness (but only after the emotions have passed)

  • Dissolve the ego (working constantly at this one)

Me doing falconry in the Scottish Highlands.

Outside of work

  • I love eating and cooking.

  • History buff - theater, opera, art, books, and podcasts.

  • Always outside nordic skiing, downhill skiing, or hiking.

  • Nature lover and bird watcher.

need to reach me?

I'm on Twitter, LinkedIn, or at laurabuhler [at] gmail [dot] com