Dave Lewis

0→1 Venture Builder | EIR | Innovation | Start Ups I Corporate Ventures | Building Ventures, Products & Teams

New York City Metropolitan Area

About

I’ve spent the past 25+ years creating new businesses, products and teams with startups and Fortune 500 companies. Over the last six years, I’ve focused on leading 0→1 venture creation - leading founding teams from early hypotheses and customer discovery through validation, business models, product strategy, go-to-market planning and funding. Over my career, I’ve been fortunate to serve as a founder, operator, client-side executive, EIR, consultant, coach, mentor and facilitator, working across global B2C categories with major consumer brands as well as highly technical B2B categories. I love the ambiguous, optimistic work of building teams, businesses and products that make a positive impact on business, people and the world.

Experience

  • Founder at Stealth
    2026 - Present · 6 mos

    Currently building a corporate-backed venture in the data center operations space.

  • Lead Entrepreneur in Residence at Mach49
    Apr 2021 - Dec 2025 · 4 yrs 9 mos

    Led 0→1 corporate venture builds with founding teams, turning early opportunities into validated, fundable businesses through customer discovery, prototype development, business model validation, product definition, go-to-market development and funding. Responsibilities included: helping secure $4.5M+ in seed funding across five ventures in autonomous retail, mobility, retail tech, energy management, real estate tech and more; leading customer discovery, prototype testing and desirability, feasibility and viability validation; translating customer and market evidence into value propositions, MVPs, product roadmaps and business model decisions; building operating models, launch pathways and funding plans; serving as venture lead, coach and strategic partner to founding teams.

  • Vice President, Global Innovation at National Basketball Association (NBA)
    Feb 2019 - Jul 2020 · 1 yr 6 mos

    Hired to new role reporting to Chief Innovation Officer and President, Team Marketing and Business Operations. Responsibilities included: leading cross-functional teams to generate customer insights and develop new ideas; designing and leading creative workshops with teams and league partners: identifying customer-centric growth opportunities beyond core businesses; enhancing company-wide creative capabilities.

  • Founder; Global Brand & Innovation Lead at Differents Co-Creation Partners
    Sep 2011 - Feb 2019 · 7 yrs 6 mos

    Founded global innovation collective to create new products, services, and experiences. Led cross-functional teams in China, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Canada, and U.S. for global Fortune 500 brands such as L’Oréal, HSBC, Midea Carrier, AB InBev, Colgate-Palmolive and Coca-Cola.

  • Sr. Innovation Manager at The Coca-Cola Company
    Jul 2009 - Aug 2011 · 2 yrs 2 mos

    One of five-person team to launch Latin America's first innovation department in company’s third-largest global market. Responsibilities included: designing and implementing company-wide innovation process and toolkit to identify and capture new growth opportunities; leading cross-functional teams to develop breakthrough and incremental new products and customer experiences; designing and leading internal programs to inspire and grow company-wide creative culture and impact.