What started as an idea on his kitchen table in 2013 went public with a $1.5B IPO in 2021.

Luke Schoenfelder, who began his career on Apple’s retail floors, never imagined that less than a decade later, he’d be partnering with Apple again—this time as the CEO of Latch.

Today, he is the Chairman of Altamira, investing in companies he believes truly matter.

In this conversation with Primary General Partner Jason Shuman, they discuss:

• how Steve Jobs inspired Luke’s approach while building Latch

• staying ahead of trends to create sophisticated hardware

• how Latch became the go-to product for every landlord

ABOUT US: 

Primary is the largest early-stage venture firm in the world, with over $1B in Assets Under Management, and notable investments under its belt include unicorns like Slice, Chief, Electric, and more.   

With a dedicated team of Partners, Associates, and Advisors, Primary operates with one clear modus operandi: to allocate unreasonable resources toward building unfair advantages.  

Follow us on LinkedIn: 

1. Luke Schoenfelder-   / lukeschoenfelder  

2. Jason Shuman-   / jasonshuman  

3. Primary-   / primary-venture-partners  

(00:00) Trailer
(00:46) Introduction
(01:10) The Art of Asking Tough Questions
(06:57) Childhood Lessons and Independent Thinking
(11:46) The Birth of Autobiographer
(15:27) The Impact of Trauma on Founders
(22:32) Early Entrepreneurial Ventures
(32:25) The Future of Modular Housing
(36:31) Lessons from Apple and Steve Jobs
(39:20) Building a Motivated Team
(44:07) The Rise of PropTech and Smart Access
(48:31) Navigating Investor Relations
(01:00:09) Reflecting on Latch's Journey
(01:03:45) Personal Growth and Future Aspirations
(01:11:22) Advice for Aspiring Founders