Brad Corona
InvestorManaging Director at Vertical Venture Partners · Board director at Upwell Revenue Software Inc. · Board director at Barti · Board director at Inveterate
Solana Beach, California (runs the San Diego office)
Writes $500K – $4M checks · typically $1.5M
Find your path to Brad
275 people in our graph share verified history with Brad — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
About
Brad Corona is an engineer-turned-entrepreneur-turned-investor who founded Vertical Venture Partners (VVP) in 2014 to back companies solving hard, industry-specific problems that general-purpose software failed to address. Before VVP, he spent about a decade in operating roles, including engineering and engineering management at Lockheed, a sales role at Sun Microsystems, and co-founding the CRM company Scopus Technology, which he grew from a five-person startup to a Morgan Stanley-led IPO before it was acquired by Siebel Systems. He began his venture career at Sierra Ventures, where he helped build the enterprise software practice and created a CIO Advisory Board of 75 Fortune 500 CIOs. At VVP he concentrates on vertical AI and technology for regulated, relationship-driven industries that technology reached last, and the firm operates on a collaborative, no-deal-attribution model.
Contact· published on Brad's own website
Invests in
BiotechEnterprise SoftwareHealthtechPropTechSaaS
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Founded Vertical Venture Partners in 2014. Co-founded Scopus Technology, a CRM company that went public and was later acquired by Siebel Systems.
- Education
- Studied systems science at UC San Diego. Earned two graduate degrees in aerospace engineering at Stanford, with a thesis on the stability of large space antennas. Attended Harvard Business School.
- Hobbies
- Was a competitive US junior in squash and played at Brown. Has cycled through hobbies including skateboarding, photography, boxing, golf, running, cycling, food, and wine. Names skiing with his family as his favorite thing and is working up the courage to learn to surf.
- Family
- Lives in Solana Beach with his wife and their two boys.
- More
- Grew up in Michigan and has lived in Florida, Rhode Island, Copenhagen, New York, LA, Palo Alto, and Sonoma. Builds and runs the AI systems the firm operates on, spanning sourcing, diligence, and portfolio intelligence.
From Brad's own website — common ground for a warm intro.
Board director at Upwell Revenue Software Inc.
Intro paths
In turn, Brad can intro founders to Upwell Revenue Software Inc.'s investors below.
Upwell Revenue Software Inc.'s investors · 1
Board director at Barti
Intro paths
In turn, Brad can intro founders to Barti's investors below.
Barti's investors · 5
Co-founders at Barti
Board director at Inveterate
Intro paths
In turn, Brad can intro founders to Inveterate's investors below.
Inveterate's investors · 4
Co-founders at Inveterate
Experience
- Vertical Venture PartnersManaging Directorcurrent2016 — presentPalo Alto, California, United States
- UpwellBoard Membercurrent2025 — present
- Implentio, IncBoard Observercurrent2024 — present
- RoofrBoard Observercurrent2022 — present
- BackflipBoard Membercurrent2021 — present
- Inveterate, IncBoard Membercurrent2021 — present
- MudflapBoard Membercurrent2019 — present
- AutolabBoard Membercurrent2023 — present
- Inbox HealthBoard Observercurrent2021 — present
- Concert HealthBoard Observercurrent2020 — presentSan Diego, California, United States
- Lakewood & Company, LLCVenture Partner2015 — 2017Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
- Jack RobieCo-Founder, Director2010 — 2016New York / Nantucket
- Multi-Family OfficeVice President2012 — 2015
- Jefferies & CompanyInvestment Banking Associate, Financial Sponsors Group2007 — 2010
- Jefferies & CompanyInvestment Banking Analyst, Healthcare Group2004 — 2007
Skills & more
+8 more
E-commerceMergers & AcquisitionsLBOInvestmentsEntrepreneurshipFinanceMarket ResearchM&AFrom Brad's professional profile.
Deals · 2
Upwell Revenue Software Inc.Board seat
via Vertical Venture Partners · filed Jan 2025 · $6.5M raise
BartiBoard seat
via Vertical Venture Partners · filed Nov 2022 · $5M raise
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Sources: the investor's own website · SEC Form D filings · curated public sources.
Colleagues at Vertical Venture Partners
Network6
Investors connected to Brad in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Brad Corona?
- Brad Corona is an engineer-turned-entrepreneur-turned-investor who founded Vertical Venture Partners (VVP) in 2014 to back companies solving hard, industry-specific problems that general-purpose software failed to address. Before VVP, he spent about a decade in operating roles, including engineering and engineering management at Lockheed, a sales role at Sun Microsystems, and co-founding the CRM company Scopus Technology, which he grew from a five-person startup to a Morgan Stanley-led IPO before it was acquired by Siebel Systems. He began his venture career at Sierra Ventures, where he helped build the enterprise software practice and created a CIO Advisory Board of 75 Fortune 500 CIOs. At VVP he concentrates on vertical AI and technology for regulated, relationship-driven industries that technology reached last, and the firm operates on a collaborative, no-deal-attribution model.
- Where does Brad Corona work?
- Brad Corona is Managing Director at Vertical Venture Partners and Board director at Upwell Revenue Software Inc. and Board director at Barti and Board director at Inveterate.
- What does Brad Corona invest in?
- Brad Corona invests in Biotech, Enterprise Software, Healthtech, PropTech, SaaS.
- What check size does Brad Corona write?
- Brad Corona typically writes checks of $500K – $4M.
- What boards does Brad Corona sit on?
- Brad Corona holds tracked board seats at Barti, Beyond Trucks, Inveterate, Upwell Revenue Software Inc..
- What companies has Brad Corona invested in?
- Investments tracked here include Amira, Mudflap, SOCi, Backflip, Inveterate, Roofr, Zuub.
- Where did Brad Corona go to school?
- Brad Corona studied at Brown University (Bachelor of Arts, Business Economics); Copenhagen Business School (Study Abroad (International Business)).
- Does Brad Corona lead rounds?
- Yes — Brad Corona has led 3 tracked investments.
Same school
Also attended Brown University737
+ 731 more
Also attended Copenhagen Business School532
+ 526 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Upwell7
+ 1 more
