Aaref Hilaly
InvestorPartner at Bain Capital Ventures
San Francisco, California
Writes $1M – $100M checks · typically $10M
About
Aaref Hilaly, former repeat founder‑CEO who scaled Clearwell Systems to $100M ARR, is an AI investor advocating humans as CEOs of AI agent armies and prioritizing rapid iteration over moats.
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkSaaS
Experience
- Bain Capital VenturesPartnercurrent2020 — present
- SimileSeries A & B Investorcurrent2025 — present
- CognitionSeries C Investorcurrent2025 — present
- krea.aiSeries B Investor + Board Membercurrent2025 — present
- Charta HealthSeed & Series A Investor + Board Membercurrent2024 — present
- DecagonSeed & Series B investor + Board Membercurrent2023 — present
- EvenUpSeries B & D investor + Board Membercurrent2023 — present
- Sequoia CapitalPartner2012 — 2019
- SymantecVice President, Engineering2011 — 2012
- Clearwell SystemsPresident & CEO2005 — 2011
- CenterRunFounder & CEO2000 — 2003
Education
- Harvard Business SchoolMBA
- McGill UniversityMA, Economics
- University of OxfordBA, Philosophy
Skills & more
SaaS48Enterprise Software38C++1Salesforce.com2Software as a Service (SaaS)3Start-ups99Economics2Partner Management3Entrepreneurship70Venture Capital14Thought Leadership2Private Equity4
+12 more
Web DevelopmentMobile ApplicationsBusiness DevelopmentLitigation SupportMergers & AcquisitionsProduct MarketingCRMGo-to-market StrategyStrategic PartnershipsCloud ComputingProduct ManagementProduct DevelopmentFrom Aaref's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended Harvard Business School1,777
Brad GerstnerFounder & CEO of Altimeter CapitalAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesJim BreyerFounder & CEO of Breyer CapitalTim DraperFounder of Draper AssociatesMike Maples JrCo-founding Partner at FloodgateMamoon HamidPartner at Kleiner Perkins
+ 1,771 more
Also attended McGill University322
Harley FinkelsteinInvestor at Felicis VenturesMattias LjungmanInvestor at Moonfire VenturesNoubar AfeyanInvestor at Flagship PioneeringDavid NaultGeneral Partner at Luge CapitalLaviva MazharPrincipal at Luge CapitalLisa PurcellInvestor at Third Rock Ventures
+ 316 more
Also attended University of Oxford688
Reid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockMichael MoritzFormer Partner at Sequoia Capital; Senior Adviser at Sequoia HeritageBrad GerstnerFounder & CEO of Altimeter CapitalDominic JacquessonInvestor at Index VenturesErin Price-WrightInvestor at Index VenturesJan HammerInvestor at Index Ventures
+ 682 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Simile3
Also worked at Cognition13
Kira BusmanInvestor at Index VenturesSriram KrishnanStartup builder and investorBryan GertzogPartner at StripesRak GargPartner at Bain Capital VenturesChristian LawlessGeneral Partner at Conversion CapitalAndrew UngerRecruiting Advisor at Conversion Capital
+ 7 more
Also worked at Charta Health2
Investments
Board seats
Per SEC Form D filings.
Colleagues at Bain Capital Ventures
Abby Meyers
Principal at Bain Capital Ventures
Ajay Agarwal
Partner at Bain Capital Ventures
Alysaa Co
Principal at Bain Capital Ventures
Christina (Phillips) Melas-Kyriazi
Partner at Bain Capital Ventures
Enrique Salem
Partner at Bain Capital Ventures
Jamison Hill
Associate at Bain Capital Ventures
Kevin Zhang
Partner at Bain Capital Ventures
Leslie Crowe
Partner at Bain Capital Ventures
Network6
Christina (Phillips) Melas-KyriaziScout
Partner at Bain Capital Ventures
Enrique SalemScout
Partner at Bain Capital Ventures
Abby Meyers
Principal at Bain Capital Ventures
Alysaa Co
Principal at Bain Capital Ventures
Andrea Zurek
Partner at XG Ventures
Elad Gil
Founder & Investor, Gil&Co at Elad Gil
Investors connected to Aaref in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.


































