Michael Mignano joined Lightspeed’s Consumer practice as a Partner in 2022 after most recently serving as Head of Talk for Spotify where he led the podcast, live, and video businesses for the world’s leading audio streaming platform. Michael co-founded Anchor, which was acquired by Spotify in 2019, and is credited for democratizing podcasting globally, transforming it from a small, niche medium into a universal form of creative expression adopted by millions of people worldwide. Also in 2019, Michael was recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the most influential people in business in their annual 40 Under 40 List.
Michael’s interest in venture capital stems from two of his life’s greatest passions: technology and creativity. “I’ve long believed in the power of technology to advance the potential of humanity,” said Michael. This led him to pursue learning how to program and build software in middle school, and later, study Computer Science at the University of Delaware. Separately, for as long as he can remember, he’s enjoyed creating – be it music, art, photography, software, or businesses. His love of creating, and helping others create, has become the foundation of his career – he’s helped musicians make music with Atlantic Records, photographers take photos with Aviary and Adobe, and millions of podcasters make podcasts through Anchor and Spotify. And, he’s been able to empower founders and their teams to create startups as an investor and advisor to roughly 50 of the world’s most promising early stage technology companies, including Cameo, Pipe, Sandbox VR, Stir, and Universe.
Michael has navigated finding product market fit with multiple successful consumer products and enjoys working closely with founders during this critical phase. Also, given his experience operating the company he co-founded, Anchor, through all stages, Michael can empathize directly with founders. “I know what founders go through because I lived it all myself, first hand,” said Michael. “I love working with small, hyper-focused founders and teams, and sharing with them what I’ve learned throughout my own journey,” he said.
Prior to founding Anchor, Michael served as VP of Product for Aviary, growing the photo editing platform’s audience to over 100 million creators before being acquired by Adobe in 2014. He previously led Digital Product Development for Atlantic Records after starting his career as a consultant. Originally from New York, Michael spends most of his time in Hoboken, New Jersey with his wife Carrie, their two daughters, and a cat named Gizmo. He’s also a musician and grew up playing the drums.
