Rising Stars: Meet the Pre-Partner Venture Investors
who shined brightest in 2024
At Alpha Partners, we believe that relationships drive success in the venture capital industry. The 2024 Rising Star Pre-Partner Venture Investor list celebrates the next generation of venture talent that’s driving success by fostering deeper collaboration, developing bold strategies and fresh perspectives. This initiative is completely community driven and the people below were all recognized by one or more of their peers.
The 2024 selection process built upon prior years’ successes and further expanded Alpha Partners’ network of nominators. This year, over 300 VCs from around the world were invited to nominate pre-partner peers from other funds who they believe represent the future of venture capital. The response was remarkable, with over 175 votes for 130 junior VCs from 120 different VC firms.
All nominations reflected the thoughtful recognition of pre-partner VCs whose behind-the-scenes work is pivotal to the success of their firms and their portfolio companies. Their efforts are instrumental in shaping the future of venture capital while often remaining under the radar.
“We’re thrilled to recognize this year’s Rising Stars—not just for their incredible talents, but for the way they embody the collaborative spirit that makes venture capital such a rewarding space,” said Steve Brotman, Founder and Managing Partner at Alpha Partners. “At Alpha, we’re fortunate to work with so many incredible investors, and this initiative is a small way to celebrate their contributions.”
This initiative underscores Alpha Partners’ commitment to building a collaborative and inclusive venture ecosystem. By spotlighting the up-and-coming talent, we aim to strengthen connections and celebrate the individuals who are crucial to shaping the next great companies. Alpha Partners is proud to co-invest with our fellow investors into growth stage rounds to maximize their investment upside while celebrating the talent that drives their success.
Alpha Partners extends heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in the nomination process. Your insights and engagement play a crucial role in spotlighting the next generation of VC leaders.
Looking ahead, we invite the venture community to join us in recognizing the industry’s future leaders by contributing nominations for the 2025 list. Nominations can be submitted by emailing the Alpha Partners team at risingstars@alphapartners.com or by completing this form. Together, we can celebrate the individuals whose work is driving the venture ecosystem forward.
Below is a list of the contributing funds:
| 01 Advisors | 186 Ventures | 2048 Ventures | 9 Yards Capital |
| Access VP | AM FAM Ventures | Anchor Capital GP | Ark Invets |
| AV VC | Bacj Swing Ventures | Base10 | Bluberg Capital |
| Blumberg Capital | Cameron VC | Capital Factory | Chai Ventures |
| Conversion Capital | Crossbeam | Decisive Point | Edison Partners |
| ERA NYC | FFVC | Flex Capital | Fluent VC |
| Foothill Ventures | Formation VC | Forum VC | Fund Name |
| Geodesic Capital | Glasswing VC | High Alpha | Insight Partners |
| Menlo VC | Motivate Ventures | mxc ventures | New Stack |
| Next47 | Nine Four VC | Nine Four Ventures | Outlander VC |
| Primary | Primary VC | Primetime Partners | Red Sea Ventures |
| Remarkable VC | Rocketship VC | RTP Ventures | Saas Ventures |
| Sapphire Ventures | Schemnatic Ventures | Sierra Ventures | SignalFire |
| Sinewave Ventures | SVV Venture Group | TMV VC | Torch capital |
| Upfront | Valia Ventures | Valley Capital | White Star apital |
And now, without further ado, we are excited to announce this year’s rising star investors.
Congratulations to you all!
Rising Star Pre-Partners of 2024
| Name | Location | Fund | Quote | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Zach Jaffe | Boston | Glasswing Ventures | Zach just joined Glasswing but is no stranger to venture. He was a member of Dorm Room Fund where I got to see his hustle for deals, love of early stage, and generic affability. Couldn't think of anyone more deserving of this recognition. He has a bright career ahead of him! | |
|
Sakib Jamal | NYC | Crossbeam Ventures | Someone who just gives to the whole ecosystem. From the founders he supports to the VCs he partners with, he’s always looking to learn, to give, and to grow. Absolute rockstar. | |
|
Daniel Paredes | NYC | Sierra Ventures | Very deep in cyber, NHI, and AI at the edge. An all around great person who's always straightforward. Never a dull conversation! | |
|
Alexandra Burbey | SF | Sound Ventures | She’s very connected and street smart. Understands the game enough to be a mover and shaker. | |
|
Andie Steinberg | NYC | Townhall Ventures | Andie always brings the energy, and she always brings amazing insights, dealflow, and support. Andie cares about other human beings as people, beyond just their status as investors, entrepreneurs, or what they do for work. She takes the time to get to know people, and she cares deeply about solving healthcare inequities. She is always on top of the latest trends and deals in the market and always brings her own well-informed opinions on how we can help create a better healthcare system for all. | |
|
Bo Berluti | NYC | RTP Global | He is an incredibly well-rounded and passionate investor with great relationships among both investors and founders. | |
|
Carter Bourassa | Austin | Moneta Ventures | Carter is an extremely active investor in the Austin ecosystem. He's a consistent attendee to various investor events where he dedicates almost all of his time speaking with founders. In addition to that, Carter has also notably started YIA, the Young Investors Association, in Austin with the goal of bringing new investors to the Austin community together to connect, and share ideas. | |
|
Max Harrison | NYC | Remarkable Ventures | Max is a thoughtful and highly collaborative investor, recognized for building meaningful relationships with founders and investors while approaching every challenge with strategic focus and precision. He combines emotional intelligence with analytical depth, posing incisive questions, challenging conventional thinking, and fostering engaging conversations. Max distinguishes himself as a standout pre-partner investor with a rare blend of intellect and empathy. | |
|
Ryan Peslis | NYC | Sidekick | Ryan is one of the hardest-working investors I know and I am excited for his future in this industry. | |
|
Spencer Henry | NYC | White Star Capital | He’s incredibly diligent and well connected. Spencer always goes the extra mile for founders and investors in his community. | |
|
Tamar Vidra | NYC | Red Sea Ventures | Tamar is scrappy, smart, egoless, and beyond a fantastic investor, a wonderful human. She embodies the hustle of an early stage investor - building her network, finding 'hidden gem' deals, and generous with her time and resources. I'm always excited to work alongside her. | |
|
Valentina Pidgaina | Menlo Park | Vibranium | Vibranium has proven to be a solid leaders and particiapte in the venture space - both in activities, thought leadership and collaborative engagement. Their deals are stellar and their models are practical. |
Rising Star Honorable Mentions With Quotes (sorted by first name)
| Name | Location | Fund | Quote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaditi Tamhankar | Chicago | Bluestein Ventures | Aaditi moved to Chicago only 1.5 years ago, and has quickly built an incredible network as a connector. She is great at has parlayed that into hosting events, speaking opportunities, and dealflow. Plus she does it all with a smile and brings genuine enthusiasm for foodtech, venture and the Chicago ecosystem. | |
| Addie Rasche | Austin | Silverton | Addie has cultivated a great Women in VC community in Austin. She's great at attracting new talent into the community and has supported many other venture communities in Austin as well. | |
| Adrian Kania | SF | Adams Street Partners | Adrian is an intellectually curious investor who has strong qualitative and quantitative analytical skills. I am impressed by his knowledge on various software companies and verticals and learn something new everytime I speak with him. | |
| Alan Yu | NYC | Space Capital | Hard to say whether Alan is a better friend or better investor. He's a class act and has helped many of my portfolio companies with introductions without any benefit to himself. He's coming up on his 3yr mark with Space Capital and was recently promoted also! | |
| Alex Poulin | D.C. | Lavrock VC | Great relationship builder, thoughtful investor, trustworthy and high integrity. | |
| Alex Chung | NYC | Chai Ventures | Alex is a force to be reckoned with in the VC ecosystem. She's always finding ways to add value to founders and Chai Ventures, and is one of the most well-connected investors. Anyone would be lucky to have her in their network! | |
| Alexis Maciel | LA | Unshackled Ventures | Alexis and I share a few portfolio companies, and she goes above and beyond for her founders! Excited to continue to support her journey and career as an investor! | |
| Ali Mahmoud | Boston | Glasswing Ventures | Ali is a very thoughtful investors who cares a lot about the founders he works with. | |
| Alicia Zheng | NYC | Plum Alley Ventures Company | Alicia is an emerging leader in healthcare investment, specializing in the biotech and life sciences sectors. Leveraging her science foundation and operational expertise in the biotech industry, she has been at the forefront of identifying and supporting innovative companies advancing novel therapeutics and transformative technologies to revolutionize the healthcare industry and improve human health globally. | |
| Allyson Ahlstrom | SF | Vista Endeavor Fund | Allyson knows everyone and has a very strong pulse on the market. | |
| Andrew Berg | NYC | Companion Ventures | Andrew has been the strongest Boston-based VC connection of mine by far. He has looped myself, and several others into VC networking events and workshops, as well as provided consistently strong deal flow. He is a strong investor who impresses with his level of diligence and is extremely active in the Boston VC ecosystem. | |
| Anna Faulkner | London | Highland | One of the people I've known with both the highest EQ and IQ, building amazing rapport with founders. | |
| Arif Damji | SF | Conductive | This investor is recognised as a rising star due to his personalised approach, dedicating time to deeply understand and support entrepreneurs. His ability to discern genuine investment potential beyond industry hype, combined with a practical and disciplined mindset, sets him apart. Furthermore, his creativity in offering innovative solutions and thinking outside the box enhances his reputation in the venture capital community. | |
| Avi Muller | NYC | Floodgate | Avi has an incredible nose and work ethic that is unique for someone his age and in general. Avi will be a force in the industry for years to come. | |
| Ayesha Arora | SF | S32 | Ayesha is incredibly hard working, shows up with a prepared mind, collaborative and amazing investor. | |
| Bridget Duru | NYC | Rethink Education | The investor demonstrates a keen understanding of market trends, consistently making strategic decisions that yield high returns. Their adept risk management and ability to identify lucrative opportunities contribute to their reputation as a rising star in the investment world. The investor's commitment to staying informed, coupled with a track record of successful ventures, solidifies their standing among the industry's emerging leaders. | |
| Caroline Greenberg | Chicago | PSP Growth | Caroline has an innate ability to see beyond the noise and identify what truly matters. She's insightful, intelligent, and leads with authenticity in a way that can be rare in growth-stage investing. She's only one of two team members accountable for the venture strategy at PSP and plays significantly above her title and years of experience in terms of maturity, responsibility, and value-add. | |
| Chelsea Zhang | NYC | Equal Ventures | Chelsea is a focused and compassionate investor. She has the ability to empathize with founders and investors alike. Chelsea has incredible insights that she earns through research, speaking with industry experts, and founders (and she is willing to share). There is no one nicer and down to earth than Chelsea in this industry! | |
| Chika Ogele | NYC | nvp capital | Chika is the definition of a DOG. Never met a more just good human but genuine smart person who knows everyone. | |
| Chris Oh | NYC | Greenpoint Partners | Chris is a star that gives to the venture community without expecting anything in return. He's a pleasant, intelligent guy, and will make an amazing partner very shortly. | |
| Chris Abshire | SF | Toyota Ventures | Chris combines sharp investment instincts with genuine relationship-building, making him a uniquely valuable partner for founders and co-investors. His thesis-driven approach and impressive deal flow demonstrate strong domain expertise, while his reputation as a trusted advisor and connector in the VC community sets him apart. | |
| Danny Cohen | NYC | Riverpark | Danny has been an integral part of helping RiverPark Ventures scale from ~$75mm to over $300mm in AUM. With just three people on the RiverPark Ventures investment team, Danny runs much of the firm’s day-to-day operations and is a leading source of the firm’s deal flow. His 5-year investment track records includes several exits and companies that have gone on to raise sizeable growth rounds, including Coterie, Audigent, Nivoda, Cents, Agora, Point.me, Disco and Slate Milk. | |
| De'Havia Stewart | ATL | Serena Ventures | De'Havia goes above and beyond for founders. She has done a great job of identifying strong deals and represents her firm well. | |
| Dominique Hassan | TLV | Battery Ventures | Extremely strategic and original thinker | |
| Ece Wyrick | SF | Khosla | Ece is a hustler and she always goes the extra mile. She is incredibly sharp and knows what startups need to succeed. | |
| Emma Galasso | NYC | Loeb NYC | Emma is so incredibly sharp and hardworking. She helped co-organize a cohorts program for women in venture and is an active member of the NYC venture ecosystem. | |
| Emma Silverman | NYC | TMV | Emma does a fantastic job at looping fellow co-investors into relevant investment opportunities. She's a fantastic thought partner to investors and founders alike. | |
| Greg Kotchick | SF | SineWave Ventures | Greg will go to bat for founders whether they are in the portfolio or not. He excels more than any other junior investor in getting meaningful customer and hiring introductions and never beats around the bush with a founder. | |
| Ipshita Agarwal | Austin | A* | Ipshita is a seed investor at A*. She has built an extensive network with other investors, solo GPs, angel investors and operators at AI companies. She was early in building an application AI investing thesis and sourced several app AI companies that went on to raise rounds from top funds. She has organized several founder and operator dinners, events, and hackathons and built a strong AI community. | |
| Ipshita Roy | NYC | Sierra Ventures | Ipsita is fantastic at sourcing and diligence, and so collaborative as well! She always has an interesting perspective to share and I learn so much every time we chat! | |
| Isabelle Sinclair | LA | PLUS | Isabelle is a thoughtful and prepared investor. She knows her stuff, and everyone can count on her to have great business judgement + to have done the work to understand a category who has the right to win it! | |
| Jacqueline Young | SF | Obvious Ventures | Extremely sharp, very well connected in the startup/VC ecosystem, works tirelessly to support founders and other VCs. Somehow also finds time to run great events alongside her main VC roles, while also always being approachable! | |
| Jacques Sisteron | LA | Upfront Ventures | Jacques has done an incredible job of building out Upfront's aerospace and defense practice alongside partner Nick Kim. If there is a team building something early stage in the space, Jacques has probably talked to them! He's sourced a considerable number of deals for the team here and continues to be a leading voice in the SoCal ecosystem. | |
| Jeff Silverstein | NYC | Box Group | Jeff is the best of the best! Super passionate, thoughtful, and high-integrity. Great founder empathy and an awesome person overall! | |
| John Reim | Chicago | Baird Capital | Incredibly well-networked, ambitious and creative with sourcing | |
| John Gianakopoulos | SF | Scale Venture Partners | Incredible track record and probably has the best deal flow of anyone I know | |
| Juliette Richert | Austin | The Artemis Fund | Juliette's commitment to elevating underrepresented founder led businesses is evident in every part of her work. From Launching a series of interviews to highlight pre partner talent to collaboratively sharing quality deals with co-investors, she is a force in the ecosystem. Her genuine curiosity and kindness coupled with sharpness make her a standout in the ecosystem. | |
| Justin Young | Portland | Unum Ventures | Justin is one of the most insightful investors I know about the employee benefits market. I'm always impressed by how much depth he has in his focus areas and his pulse on all the startups operating in those areas. He's made a lot of investments in companies I respect and has done a nice job of building his reputation in the market. | |
| Karen Wang | NYC | Deutsche Bank Ventures | Karen is a rising star investor because she helps connect startups and investors. She speaks on panels and has been helpful with introductions in the ecosystem. She supports early stage companies, mentors startups and investors and is always looking for new innovation. | |
| Kasey Zhang | SF | Audacious Ventures | Kasey shoots well above his experience as an investor. He is extremely curious and thoughtful. | |
| Katie Evans | SF | Threshold Ventures | Katie is an incredibly sharp investor who has a strong network of founders and fellow VCs. Founders respect her and want to work with her, and she is an incredible ambassador for the Threshold brand! | |
| Kristin McDonald | NYC | Eniac Ventures | Kristin is one of the sharpest early-stage investors in all of New York City. She goes deeper faster than nearly anyone and possesses a broad, valuable rolodex. | |
| Lauren Dines | NYC | Tusk VC | Lauren is one of those go-getters who has relentless ambition and doesn't stop until she hits her goals. She is wise beyond her years and understands what it takes to win in venture. Her competitive mindset and passion for investing will make her very successful in the industry. | |
| Lauren Reeves | NYC | MGV | As a Principal at her firm, Lauren showcases exceptional leadership at MGV as the only team member located in NYC and has been a great collaborator for both supporting her portfolio as well as engaging with other investors in the ecosystem. She has a keen ability to identify innovative opportunities and drive impactful investments. | |
| Layla Alexander | NYC | Female Founders Fund | Layla has an extremely high EQ and connects with founders instantly. She is very thoughtful and has great ideas around women's health. | |
| Maggie Abeles | Chicago | Newbound Ventures | Maggie is a quintessential rising star in the venture capital landscape, and leads NewBound’s investment in core sectors such as beauty, pet care, and enablement technology, showcasing her ability to identify and nurture relationships with rising star entrepreneurs and high-growth brands. Her background as a career investor and advisor spans time spent in private equity at a top-quartile PE firm, Arbor Investments, as well as advisory work on M&A transactions for high-growth brands at Piper Sandler & Co. Beyond her professional prowess, Maggie's dedication to fostering inclusivity and empowerment for women and minorities in finance, through her leadership of the National Junior Board at the Women’s Association of Venture and Equity, highlights her influential presence as a change-maker in the industry. | |
| Martina Fausto | Bloomington | Flywheel Fund | Martina is thoughtful, thorough, and always knows the right questions to ask when evaluating a startup. She is collaborative and supportive within the VC ecosystem - always sharing high-quality deals and following through on making introductions. | |
| Meir Cohen | TLV | Greenfield Partners | Meir has built a name for himself by finding great deals and balancing work and IDF reserve duty. | |
| Mike Heller | LA | Navitas Capital | Mike is one of the most genuine, trustworthy, and knowledgeable investors I know. His strategic insights and dedication to supporting founders have earned him immense respect from peers, co-investors, and entrepreneurs alike. | |
| Naomi Goez | NYC | Forum Ventures | Naomi is a powerhouse. I’ve seen her rise from MBA to senior associate and now principal, she’s super sharp and has done it in her own authentic way. She’ll no doubt be a partner in the coming years and I expect one day she’ll lead her own fund. | |
| Nick Cohn | Grand Rapids | Grand Ventures | Nick is the definition of a hustler. You name the conference/founder meet up and he is there. He sources all over the US and has one of the best attitudes I've seen. | |
| Nick Bunick | SF | NewView | By far, one of the hardest workers in venture. | |
| Nicole Schreiber | NYC | Brighton Park | I have seen very few people with the work ethic and discipline that Nicole demonstrated across both sourcing and execution. | |
| Nkechi Iregbulem | SF | MVP Ventures | She has sourced and invested in some of the best companies I know. She is incredible at portfolio company support, and has some of the best early stage access I know. | |
| Paul Healy | NYC | Commonweal Ventures | A true collaborator in venture who is always getting the smartest experts together so we can all learn together. He is great to partner with and incredibly knowledgeable. | |
| Riley Rodgers | SF | Valia Ventures | Strong investor, great network and has helped build Valia build his firm. I have worked on due diligence projects with him as an angel and always been impressed by his sourcing ability to find great founders. | |
| Sam Orley | SF | Generation IM | Smart guy, good guy, etc. | |
| Samantha Klingelhofer | SF | Infinity Ventures | Samantha is an absolute powerhouse. She's developed authentic relationships with so many in the fintech ecosystem. She's currently the only non-GP level investor at Infinity Ventures ($300M+AUM). Samantha is a quick study of new spaces and always has her pulse on the best deals in market. | |
| Savina Mandadi | LA | Mantis VC | She has impressive expertise in cyber security and has an understanding of trends. She invested in Chainguard which raised a Series C. | |
| Sharran Deora | SF | Mighty Capital | Sharran is what we call a "decathlete" in venture capital. He excels in several key areas that make a great VC. Technical, detail-oriented, great with numbers, and has a palpable level of gravitas that draws entrepreneurs to him. Incredibly hard-working and loyal. | |
| Shelby Newsad | NYC | Compound | Kickass network growth, her writing is great, and she’s made a name for herself in just under 2 years. | |
| Shreya Durbha | NYC | Smash Capital | Shreya is one of the youngest members of the Smash Capital team and has already been involved in 4 investments the firm has made, one of which she holds a board observer position for. At Smash, she helps lead the enterprise AI coverage effort, a space in which she actively sources and diligences in. Shreya is active in the startup and investor community in New York and is known to be thoughtful and kind. | |
| Sydney Couval | Philadelphia | New Bound VC | She is great at sharing deal flow and always looking out for the founders first. She often goes above and beyond expectations and is a great person to work with on deals. | |
| Taylor Hurst | Denver | Konvoy Ventures | Taylor is a go-getter— always working hard for his portfolio companies and to curate deep market expertise on industries he's passionate about. On board calls, he is actively engaged and comes prepared with tangible advice that truly makes a difference. Taylor works hard to create meaningful relationships with his peers and founders that make the community a better and more inclusive space. | |
| Tom Sheridan | London | RTP Global | Tom is a fantastic networker and connector. He knows everyone who is everyone and how their round's were filled. He's moved from London to NYC to kickstart the RTP NY office. | |
| Zao Chen | SF | Craft Ventures | Incredible hustle + good deal flow will make Zao a great investor. However, more importantly, he is humble and genuinely fun to hang with. |
Rising Star Honorable Mentions
(sorted by first name)
| Name | Location | Fund | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adele English | SF | Signal Fire | |
| Amy Wang | NYC | Blue Cloud | |
| Brian Zhang | SF | CRV | |
| David Talpalar | NYC | Conversion Capital | |
| Emily Zhen | SF | Zeal Capital | |
| Isabelle Styslinger | NYC | Rise of the Rest Seed Fund | |
| Jackson Bubala | CHI | Motivate Venture Capital | |
| Joshua Miller | NYC | Blu Ventures | |
| Max August | TLV | General Atlantic | |
| Morgan Blumberg | NYC | M13 | |
| Rahul Daryanani | SF | Touchdown Ventures | |
| Tobias Nilsson Roos | SF | Crosslink Capital | |
| Varun Sridhar | NYC | RTP Global |