Lance Fors

Lance Fors

Lance received his BA from UC-Berkeley and his PhD from the California Institute of Technology, both in molecular biology. During his school years he also assembled a large real estate portfolio that he continues to own and manage. After receiving his PhD, Lance founded and built Third Wave Technologies into a leading DNA diagnostics company. Since Third Wave, Lance has focused on social entrepreneurship, founding and building a special needs housing provider, and venture philanthropy. In venture philanthropy, Lance currently serves as Chairman of the Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2), New Teacher Center, and Reading Partners; a director of Social Venture Partners International and Jumpstart; and an advisor to a number of high-growth nonprofits. Lance is also lead director and co-owner of Lance Construction Supplies, an inventor on dozens of patents, an Ernst and Young entrepreneur of the year award recipient, and an avid tennis player and swimmer.