Fundraising Fox

57 Stars

Fund of funds

Arlington · Late Stage · 23 people tracked

Also known as 57 STARS LLC

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Investment thesis

57 Stars is an independent global alternative asset manager focused on private equity and venture capital investments in markets shaped by long-term dynamic growth from technological innovation and rapid user adoption. The firm emphasizes a rigorous, systematic and analytical approach to identifying high-quality markets and partnerships, often in overlooked or underserved regions. It highlights proprietary deal origination, flexible structuring capabilities, and integration of ESG best practices throughout the investment process. Its name references celestial navigation, symbolizing a nuanced global perspective and disciplined analytical rigor for managing risk and discovering opportunity worldwide.

Invests inImpact & Social GoodSector AgnosticAfricaArlingtonAsia-PacificEuropeGlobalLatin AmericaNorth America

Source: firm website, verified Aug 2, 2026.

Stage
Late Stage
HQ
Arlington, US
Instruments
Equity
Founded
2005
AUM
$3.7B

Team · 23 people

from the firm's website
Gene Pohren· Co-founder and Managing Director

Co-founded 57 Stars in 2005, leading PE partnership, secondary, and co-investment transactions and serving on the investment and management committees. Previously a Director at OPIC. Holds a BS from the University of Maine and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Stephen O’Neill· Co-founder and Managing Director

Co-founded 57 Stars in 2005, active in due diligence and monitoring of fund managers across emerging markets and business development in Asia Pacific. Previously an investment banker at UBS Warburg. Holds an AB from Brown and an MBA from Stanford.

Steve Cowan· Co-founder and Managing Director

Co-founded 57 Stars in 2005 and is a member of the Investment Committee. Previously a Director in OPIC's Investment Funds Department and an attorney at major law firms. Holds an AB from Brown and a JD from Harvard Law School.

Amit Chandra· Managing Director

Joined 57 Stars in 2008; responsible for sourcing, due diligence, structuring, and monitoring of PE partnerships and co-investments. Previously an associate at Key Principal Partners and KeyBanc Capital Markets. Holds engineering and management degrees and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Bernard McGuire, Jr.· Managing Director

Joined 57 Stars in 2008 and is a member of the Investment Committee, active in sourcing, due diligence, and monitoring across all markets. Previously a Director in OPIC's Investment Funds Department. Holds degrees from Vanderbilt and an MBA from Cass Business School.

Carl Balit· Managing Director

Joined 57 Stars in 2007; participates in analysis, selection, and monitoring of fund investments and co-investments, focusing on growth, control, and special situations. Previously gained operating experience with a Canadian apparel manufacturer. Holds a BA from Colby College and an MBA and MS in Foreign Service from Georgetown.

Charles Toy· Managing Director Emeritus

Joined 57 Stars in 2007 and served as Chief Compliance Officer through mid-2025; remains involved in deal structuring and firm operations. Previously General Counsel at OPIC and a partner at international law firms. Holds a BA from Harvard College and a JD from Harvard Law School.

Cheng Chee Mun· Managing Director

Joined 57 Stars in 2009; identifies and monitors investments in Asia and leads the firm's Singapore subsidiary. Previously an Investment Manager at Allianz Private Equity Partners. Holds a BS from Kyoto University and an MBA from INSEAD.

John Engel· Managing Director

Joined 57 Stars in 2007; responsible for sourcing, due diligence, structuring, and monitoring of PE investments and sits on several fund advisory boards. Previously at Pacific Corporate Group. Holds a BS from UC San Diego and is a CFA Charterholder.

Chris Zachary· Assistant Vice President

Joined 57 Stars in 2020 on the investment team, active in due diligence and monitoring across emerging markets with interests in impact and ESG. Previously an investment data analyst at Cambridge Associates. Holds a BS and BA from Bucknell University.

Claire Organick· Assistant VP, ESG & Impact

Assistant VP focusing on ESG integration and impact strategy. Previously an investment analyst on Cambridge Associates' Sustainable and Impact Investing team. Holds a BA from Occidental College.

Kevin Horvath· Senior Vice President

Senior Vice President supporting fundraising and investor relations. Previously a manager at EMPEA leading its data program. Holds an MA in International Economics from American University and a BA from George Washington University.

Kyoko Terada· Executive Director

Executive Director responsible for investor relations, marketing, branding, and external communications. Previously a Managing Director at EMPEA. Holds a BA from Boston University and completed coursework toward an MA at American University.

Solomon Tsegaye· Vice President

Joined 57 Stars in 2017 on the investment team, active in due diligence and monitoring of PE partnerships, co-investments, and secondaries across emerging markets. Previously an analyst at The Rock Creek Group. Holds a BA from William & Mary and an MS in Finance from Washington University.

Stella Zhuo· Executive Director

Executive Director of the independent Beijing 57 Stars Consulting Center, which since 2020 identifies and monitors investments in China. Previously an Investment Manager at CITIC Prudential Life Insurance's alternatives arm. Holds a BS from University of Colorado and an MS in Finance from University of Aberdeen.

Tim Liu· Vice President

Joined 57 Stars in 2010 on the investment team, active in due diligence and monitoring of fund and co-investment opportunities and fund performance analytics. Previously interned at Pacific Corporate Group. Holds a BS from UC San Diego.

Alexandra Jung· Senior Advisor

Joined 57 Stars in 2009 and is based in Munich, active in sourcing, due diligence, and monitoring of funds across Emerging Europe. Previously a Senior Investment Manager at Allianz Private Equity Partners. Holds a Master in Theoretical Physics from LMU Munich.

Elise Fonseca· Office Administrator

Joined 57 Stars in 2024 as Office Administrator coordinating office operations, meetings, travel, and expense reporting. Previously an Executive Assistant at Solar Mosaic. Studied at Susquehanna University and the University of Maryland.

Gabriel Corso· Staff Accountant

Joined 57 Stars in 2023 on the accounting team, handling monitoring, reporting, and accounting for the firm and its managed funds. Previously worked at a public accounting firm and holds a BA in Accounting from SUNY Oswego.

Grace (Yunge) Zhao· Controller

Joined 57 Stars in 2017, responsible for accounting and tax for the firm and its managed funds. Previously Associate VP and Accounting Manager at American Capital and an Accounting Manager at E-Trade. Holds an MS in Accountancy from George Washington University and is a CPA.

Lindsey Sullivan· General Counsel

Joined 57 Stars in 2022 as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, overseeing regulatory obligations and legal matters. Previously Director of Operations & CCO at a PE firm and Counsel at Ropes & Gray. Holds a degree from McGill and a JD from Northwestern.

Mary Langill· Senior Analyst

Joined 57 Stars in 2023 supporting investor relations and business development. Previously interned at an impact VC firm and at TD Bank. Holds a BS from McGill and an MS in Biotechnology from Georgetown.

Mitchell Fenster· Chief Financial Officer

Joined 57 Stars in 2010 as CFO overseeing financial and operational functions and investor reporting, and serves as Associate Compliance Officer. Previously held finance leadership roles across nonprofit and emerging-market organizations. Holds a BSBA from Washington University and an MBA from Georgetown.

Frequently asked questions

What stage does 57 Stars invest at?
57 Stars invests at the Late Stage stage.
What sectors does 57 Stars focus on?
57 Stars focuses on Impact & Social Good, Sector Agnostic.
Where is 57 Stars located?
57 Stars is headquartered in Arlington, US.

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