Fundraising Fox

Brent Willess

Investor

Principal at Founder Collective · Venture Partner at Innospark Ventures

Boston / New England

Writes $400K – $2M checks · typically $1M

About

Venture Partner investing in AI-native companies across enterprise and the physical world. Previously an investor at Founder Collective and Dorm Room Fund, and an early Uber employee who served as Head of Strategy for Uber Transit.

Experience

  1. General FlashVP, Businesscurrent2026 — presentCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  2. Innospark VenturesVenture Partnercurrent2025 — presentBoston, MA
  3. Innospark VenturesPrincipal2025 — 2026Boston, MA
  4. Founder CollectivePrincipal2021 — 2025Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  5. Founder CollectiveMBA Associate2020 — 2021Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  6. Dorm Room FundInvestment Partner2019 — 2021New York City Metropolitan Area
  7. UberHead of Strategy - UberTransit2018 — 2019
  8. UberStrategy Manager - US & Canada2017 — 2018
  9. UberSenior Operations Manager2015 — 2017
  10. UberOperations and Logistics Manager2013 — 2015
  11. PwCSenior Associate2011 — 2013Washington DC-Baltimore Area

Education

  1. Yale School of ManagementMaster of Business Administration - MBA
  2. Virginia TechB.S., Finance - Minors in Political Science and International Business

Skills & more

Management36Process Improvement22Project Management26Sales2Financial Analysis14Financial Management ServicesProject Planning1EntrepreneurshipPublic Sector1Business Strategy3Business Analysis2Strategy10
+12 moreData AnalysisResearchPublic SpeakingTime ManagementLeadershipMarketingBudgetsFinanceTeam LeadershipAnalysisBook ClubsCoaching

From Brent's professional profile.

Colleagues at Founder Collective

Amanda Herson
General Partner at Founder Collective
Dan Sommer
Partner at Founder Collective
Dave Bisceglia
Venture Partner at Founder Collective
David Frankel
Seed Stage Venture Capital in the United States
Emily Jenkins
Operations Manager at Founder Collective
Eric Paley
Entrepreneur and Seed Investor in Cambridge, MA
Jack Arenas
Principal at Founder Collective
Jack Groetzinger
Venture Partner at Teamworthy Ventures

Network10

David FrankelScout
Seed Stage Venture Capital in the United States
Eric PaleyScout
Entrepreneur and Seed Investor in Cambridge, MA
Jack GroetzingerScout
Venture Partner at Teamworthy Ventures
James TamplinScout
Venture Partner at Founder Collective
Raj De DattaScout
Partner at Founder Collective
Amanda Herson
General Partner at Founder Collective
Dan Sommer
Partner at Founder Collective
Micah Rosenbloom
General Partner at Founder Collective
Nadia Boujarwah
Venture Partner at Founder Collective
Noah Glass
Partner at Founder Collective

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

Frequently asked questions

Where does Brent Willess work?
Brent Willess is Principal at Founder Collective.
What check size does Brent Willess write?
Brent Willess typically writes checks of $400K – $2M.

Same school

Also attended Yale School of Management126

Sanjot MalhiPartner at NorthzoneTrip HoferVenture Partner at .406 VenturesAustin KwounAnalyst at .406 VenturesNate WangVP of Investments at Plum Alley InvestmentsGabby CazeauInvestor at Harlem Capital PartnersRobert BettigoleManaging Partner at Elm Street Ventures

+ 120 more

Also attended Virginia Tech100

Rashad AssirContent at Redpoint VenturesJoseph RuscioI build scalable, fault-tolerant, distributed systems.Tim GuleriInvestor at Sierra VenturesCurry RobertsPresident, Fredericksburg Regional Alliance at Riphean InvestmentsSamantha MoskettiSenior Manager, Knowledge Sharing at JMI EquityMichelle KincaidVP, Marketing & Platforms at Ballistic Ventures

+ 94 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Innospark Ventures9

Ajay RayasamPrincipal at Osage University PartnersDeepak VermaPartner at Innospark VenturesDr. Venkat SrinivasanManaging Director at Innospark VenturesMatt FatesPartner at Innospark VenturesMark LegarePrincipal at Innospark VenturesJeff KnoxSenior Associate at Innospark Ventures

+ 3 more

Also worked at Founder Collective32

Chris DixonFounder & Managing Partner of a16z crypto at Andreessen HorowitzMicah RosenbloomGeneral Partner at Founder CollectiveAmanda HersonGeneral Partner at Founder CollectiveDavid FrankelSeed Stage Venture Capital in the United StatesEric PaleyEntrepreneur and Seed Investor in Cambridge, MADave BiscegliaVenture Partner at Founder Collective

+ 26 more

Also worked at Dorm Room Fund99

Matan RoetAssociate at Redpoint VenturesIsabelle PhelpsPartner at Lerer HippeauJason BrookePrincipal at Sapphire VenturesLauren ReederInvestor at Sequoia CapitalMarcInvestment Team at Hummingbird VenturesLan JiangPartner at Lux Capital

+ 93 more

Also worked at Uber371

Bill GurleyGeneral Partner Emeritus at Benchmark; author of Above the Crowd; BG2 co-hostJason CalacanisFounder of LAUNCH; host of This Week in Startups; All-In co-hostAndrew ChenGeneral Partner at Andreessen HorowitzFrédérique DameInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Nic LowdenInvestor at Moonfire VenturesAnnie KadavyVenture Partner at Redpoint Ventures

+ 365 more