Ben joined PeakSpan Capital in 2026 after interning with the firm the previous summer. Ben graduated magna cum laude from Duke University, earning a B.S.E. in Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science with a minor in Finance. Prior to PeakSpan, he interned with the venture capital arm of Case New Holland Industrial, a global manufacturer of agricultural and construction equipment.

I've always been drawn to the point where hard technical problems meet real people. My engineering background taught me how systems are built, and illuminated how much well-built technology can change the way people work and live. At PeakSpan, I get to sit at that intersection every day, solving complex problems alongside founders who are building the infrastructure behind entire industries. Early in my career, I can't imagine a better place to sharpen my judgment as an investor.

Soon after we led North's Series B, I assisted the team in placing key hires as they scaled. Seeing that process up close taught me how much a company's first leaders shape what comes next, as they define the culture and direction of a business for years to come. It showed me that building a great company is as much about people as it is about product.

The first principles mindset. PeakSpan asks what must be true for a business to win rather than deferring to precedent or consensus. In a venture industry that often chases momentum and follows the crowd, that independence is refreshing. This discipline shapes everything from how we evaluate companies to how we partner with founders after we invest. Working in an environment that rewards rigorous reasoning over pattern-matching pushes me to hold my own conclusions to a higher standard.

At Duke, I ran a summer storage business for students moving out at the end of the year. Even at a small scale, I quickly learned that no plan survives contact with operations, and that difficult decisions are often made with incomplete information. That experience gave me a deep appreciation and empathy for the founders I work with today, who face similar pressures but with outcomes that are orders of magnitude more consequential.