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Alexander Ross

Investor

Partner at Illuminate Financial · Series A Investor at Blockdaemon · Board director at Reality Defender · Board director at Turnstile

New York City

Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M

Find your path to Alexander

336 people in our graph share verified history with Alexander — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Thomas RubensunlockedAlexander: together at University of Bristol (2007–2010)
×2Alexander: together at Blockdaemon
×3Alexander: together at The University of Texas at Austin
×2Alexander: together at Arteria AI

About

Alexander Ross is Illuminate Financial's New York Partner, having joined early to help set up and launch the firm's first fund. He previously advised private equity funds on TMT and fintech acquisitions at Bain & Company, worked in JPMorgan's Technology division, and co-founded the online booking system provider Teamup. He leads the firm's work on crypto and digital assets, holds a first-class Master's degree in Engineering, and was a Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin.

Contact· self-published, not guessed

Invests in

Crypto & Web3Fintech

Board director at Reality DefenderYC W22

Intro paths

YC

Reality Defender went through Y Combinator (Winter 2022) — Alexander sits on its board, so any YC alum in your network can reach them through the company's founders.

GP

Reality Defender's group partner at YC was Brad Flora, Backing expeditions into the future — the partner who ran Reality Defender's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗

→

In turn, Alexander can intro founders to Reality Defender's investors below.

Reality Defender's investors · 16

Amino CapitalPalo Alto · $100K – $10M checksArgon VenturesBoston · $250K – $500K checksBooz Allen Venturessince 2024DCVC (Data Collective)Palo Alto · $5M – $25M checks · since 2023Evolution VC PartnersNew YorkEx/AnteBrooklyn · since 2023FPVJackson · $100K – $5M checksFusionPalo Alto · $500K – $1M checks · since 2025Gutbrain VenturesBostonIlluminate FinancialLondon · $1M – $8M checks · since 2024New North VenturesPortsmouth · $1M checksParameter VenturesNew York · since 2023Rackhouse Venture Management LpSan Francisco · $250K checksSamsung NextSan Jose · $100K – $5M checks · since 2025Y CombinatorSan Francisco · $500K checks · since 2022ZillionizePalo Alto · $200K checks

Co-founders at Reality Defender

BCBen Colman
Ben ColmanCo-Founder and CEO
GBGaurav Bharaj
Gaurav BharajCo-founder
ASAli Shahriyari
Ali ShahriyariCo-Founder and Advisor
LBLars Buttler
Lars ButtlerFounder

Board director at Turnstile

Intro paths

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In turn, Alexander can intro founders to Turnstile's investors below.

Turnstile's investors · 3

First Round CapitalSan Francisco · $1M – $7M checks · since 2026Illuminate FinancialLondon · $1M – $8M checks · since 2025OMERS VenturesToronto · $5M – $25M checks · since 2025

Co-founders at Turnstile

MBMichael Babineau
Michael BabineauExecutive Officer, Director

Experience

  1. Illuminate FinancialGeneral Partner | Head of NYCcurrent2021 — presentNew York City Metropolitan Area
  2. Illuminate FinancialInvestment Director - Founding member2015 — 2021New York City Metropolitan Area
  3. Zocks | AI for AdvisorsInvestor/Board Observercurrent2026 — present
  4. Reality DefenderInvestor/Board Directorcurrent2024 — presentNew York City Metropolitan Area
  5. EnmaccBoard Membercurrent2019 — presentMunich Area, Germany
  6. TalosInvestor/Advisorcurrent2021 — presentNew York City Metropolitan Area
  7. BlockdaemonSeries A Investorcurrent2021 — presentNew York City Metropolitan Area
  8. NotabeneBoard Observercurrent2021 — presentNew York, United States
  9. Arteria AIBoard Membercurrent2021 — presentNew York City Metropolitan Area
  10. Copper.coInvestor/Advisorcurrent2021 — presentGreater London, England, United Kingdom
  11. ChartIQInvestorcurrent2016 — presentGreater Charlottesville Area
  12. ChartIQBoard Observer2019 — 2020New York City Metropolitan Area
  13. SteelEyeBoard Member2018 — 2025
  14. CloudMargin - Collateral ManagementBoard Member2017 — 2023London Area, United Kingdom
  15. CloudMargin - Collateral ManagementBoard Observer2016 — 2017London Area, United Kingdom
  16. dv01Board Observer2017 — 2022New York City Metropolitan Area
  17. CurvInvestor/Advisor2020 — 2021New York City Metropolitan Area
  18. Bain & CompanyManagement Consultant2011 — 2015London Area, United Kingdom
  19. GADCOSecondment to a social start-up2013 — 2014Ghana
  20. teamupco-founder & customer development2009 — 2010London Area, United Kingdom
  21. J.P. MorganInvestment Bank Technology2009London Area, United Kingdom

Skills & more

Start-ups14Business Strategy12Strategy23Entrepreneurship14Business Planning4CRM1Management3Private Equity8Process ImprovementPortfolio ManagementInvestment Banking2Management Consulting9
+11 moreBusiness ProcessStrategic ConsultingFinancial ModelingBankingEngineeringVenture CapitalDue DiligenceCorporate DevelopmentBusiness DevelopmentAnalyticsBusiness Process Improvement

Languages English · German

From Alexander's professional profile.

Investments

Per curated public sources.

Colleagues at Illuminate Financial

Alex Gheorghe
Investor at Illuminate Financial
Andrew Patey
Chief Financial Officer at Illuminate Financial
Charlton Hook
Investor at Illuminate Financial
Crystal Tan
Executive Assistant at Illuminate Financial
Esther Muschamp
Human Resources Business Partner at Illuminate Financial
Hugo Hazon
Investor at Illuminate Financial
Julie McCrimlisk
Investor at Illuminate Financial
Justin Poitras
Head of Investor Relations at Illuminate Financial

Network7

Ali TamasebScout
General Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)
David JegenScout
Managing Partner, Tech Fund at F-Prime Capital Partners
Lorenzo FranziScout
Founding Partner at Italian Founders Fund
Rezso SzaboScout
General Partner & Head of London at Illuminate Financial
Luca Zorzino
General Partner & Head of Singapore at Illuminate Financial
Mark Beeston
Founder & Managing Partner at Illuminate Financial
Mark Rodrigues
Venture Partner at Illuminate Financial

Investors connected to Alexander in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Alexander Ross?
Alexander Ross is Illuminate Financial's New York Partner, having joined early to help set up and launch the firm's first fund. He previously advised private equity funds on TMT and fintech acquisitions at Bain & Company, worked in JPMorgan's Technology division, and co-founded the online booking system provider Teamup. He leads the firm's work on crypto and digital assets, holds a first-class Master's degree in Engineering, and was a Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin.
Where does Alexander Ross work?
Alexander Ross is Partner at Illuminate Financial and Board director at Reality Defender and Board director at Turnstile.
What does Alexander Ross invest in?
Alexander Ross invests in Crypto & Web3, Fintech.
What check size does Alexander Ross write?
Alexander Ross typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
What companies has Alexander Ross invested in?
Investments tracked here include Cloudwall Capital, Curv, Lendos, Notabene, Reality Defender, Weaver.build.
Where did Alexander Ross go to school?
Alexander Ross studied at University of Bristol (Master of Engineering - MEng, Mechanical Engineering with study abroad); The University of Texas at Austin (Master of Engineering - MEng, Mechanical Engineering with study abroad); Eton College (High School).

Same school

Shared employers