Lance Armstrong is no stranger to early success. After turning pro in Triathlon at the young age of 15 and earning the title of Road Race World Champion not many years later, he’d only just begun to write his story in the world of endurance sports.
As a cancer survivor, Armstrong founded Livestrong and would see $500 million raised to serve over three million people during his tenure with the foundation. Additionally, through the sale of 80 million wristbands and the strength and solidarity they came to represent, the immeasurable contribution made can still be seen today. Armstrong also spearheaded the effort to create the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) through a $3 billion bond initiative, and served two terms on the President-appointed President’s Cancer Panel. His contributions to cancer research through Livestrong, it’s $50M donation to the Dell Medical School (University of Texas, Austin) and CPRIT, have had a significant impact in the fight against cancer.
Combining a talent for spotting incredible founders with his lifelong passion for investing, Armstrong founded Next Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on maximizing growth opportunities in the health, wellness, healthcare and–as we like to say–Whole Person Health. Prior to founding Next Ventures, he was an active angel investor in companies such as Uber, DocuSign, Active.com, Honey Stinger, Athletic Brewing, Waterloo Water, Wheels Up and Rev Gum.
Through his creation of the media platform WEDU, Armstrong is host to THEMOVE and The Forward. The audience between these two chart-topping podcasts has grown exponentially to north of 10M impressions annually; and is on the rise.
Regretful about the past, but with eyes firmly fixed on the future, Armstrong shares a story of resiliency and hard-learned lessons that resonate with multiple audiences. Speaking with total candor and making no subject off-limits, he champions the power of mental endurance to overcome any failure, challenge or obstacle. “I’ve landed on my feet,” Armstrong says. “I have five beautiful kids and I’ve been given another chance. I’m extremely grateful for that.”
